tán

to pluck (a string); to play (a string instrument); to spring or leap

verb HSK 3.0 · Band 4 trad. 彈

Watch it being written

Every character draws itself, stroke by stroke. Then grab the brush: trace it yourself and hear the word when you finish.

Build with these blocks

Chinese words snap together like bricks. Every word below shares a character with this one, so you are already halfway to knowing it.

  • 弹性tánxìngflexibilityB6
  • 导弹dǎodàn(guided) missileB7
  • 动弹dòngtanto budgeB7
  • 对牛弹琴duìniú-tánqínlit. to play the lute to a cow (idiom)B7
  • 反弹fǎntánto bounceB7
  • 炸弹zhàdànbombB7
  • 子弹zǐdànbulletB7

See it in sentences

弟弟在学弹琴。

The little brother is learning to play an instrument.

她会弹这首歌。

She can play this song.