Meaning of 单
Definitions from CC-CEDICT.
- bill
- list
- form
- single
- only
- sole
- odd number
Measure word: 個|个
- used in 單于|单于[chan2 yu2]
- surname Shan
How to use 单
单 (dān) appears mostly in compounds. It can mean a written list or form, as in 菜单 (càidān, menu) and 名单 (míngdān, list of names), or it can mean single or alone, as in 单独 (dāndú). Example: 服务员，请给我菜单。(Fúwùyuán, qǐng gěi wǒ càidān.) Waiter, please give me the menu.
Picture 单 (dān) as a single tall pole running straight down the middle, with a frame hung on it like a sheet of paper. One pole, one sheet: single, and also a list or form.
Common mistake: Learners often mix up 单 (dān) and 甲 (jiǎ) because both have a boxy shape with a line running through it. 单 has two short dots on top and a horizontal stroke near the bottom, and 甲 has neither. Also keep the first tone in 简单 (jiǎndān). It should not drift into a neutral or falling tone.
单 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Stroke order for each character
Open a character for its meaning, components and more words.
单 dān · bill · 8 strokes
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
- 7
- 8
Related words
Words that share a character with 单.
| 名单 | míngdān | list of names |
| 单位 | dānwèi | unit (of measure); unit (group of people as a whole) |
| 菜单 | càidān | menu |
| 简单 | jiǎndān | simple; not complicated |
| 单元 | dānyuán | unit (forming an entity); element |
| 单独 | dāndú | alone; by oneself |
| 单纯 | dānchún | simple; pure |
| 单调 | dāndiào | monotonous |
| 单一 | dānyī | single; only |
| 单打 | dāndǎ | singles (in sports) |
| 孤单 | gūdān | lone; lonely |
| 单身 | dānshēn | unmarried; single; alone |
Questions about 单
What does 单 mean?
单 (dān) means "bill; list" and is used as a adjective and adverb.
How do you write 单?
单 is made of 1 character: 单 (8 strokes). That is 8 strokes in total.
Is 单 an HSK word?
Yes. 单 is on the HSK 4 vocabulary list of the HSK 3.0 standard.
How is 单 written in traditional Chinese?
In traditional characters, 单 is written 單.
Does 单 have other pronunciations besides dān?
Yes. It is read chán in 单于 (chányú), an old title for Xiongnu rulers. As a surname it is read Shàn.
How is 单 used to mean odd numbers?
单 can mean odd, as in 单数 (dānshù, odd number), and its opposite is 双 (shuāng). You will see this on things like odd and even dates or house numbers, for example 单号 (dānhào).