Chinese Character: 汗
1. Character Basics
Radical: 氵/shuǐ (water radical)
Stroke Count: 6 strokes
Stroke Order:
2. Pronunciation
Pinyin: Hàn (Fourth tone)
3. Meaning
Basic Meaning: Sweat
Extended Meaning: Effort; hard work; toil
Additional Meaning: Used to describe sweating or something related to sweat
4. Common Words
- 汗水 (hàn shuǐ) - Sweat
Example: 他的额头上布满了汗水。(Tā de é tóu shàng bù mǎn le hàn shuǐ.) - His forehead was covered with sweat.
- 出汗 (chū hàn) - To sweat
Example: 运动后我总是出汗很多。(Yùndòng hòu wǒ zǒngshì chū hàn hěn duō.) - I always sweat a lot after exercising.
- 汗流浃背 (hàn liú jiā bèi) - To be soaked with sweat
Example: 他工作得汗流浃背。(Tā gōngzuò de hàn liú jiā bèi.) - He worked until he was soaked with sweat.
- 汗颜 (hàn yán) - To feel ashamed
Example: 他的行为让我汗颜。(Tā de xíngwéi ràng wǒ hàn yán.) - His behavior made me feel ashamed.
- 血汗 (xuè hàn) - Blood and sweat (hard work)
Example: 这座建筑是工人们的血汗结晶。(Zhè zuò jiànzhù shì gōngrénmen de xuè hàn jiéjīng.) - This building is the crystallization of workers' blood and sweat.
5. Grammar & Usage
Part of Speech: Noun
Usage: "汗" is primarily used as a noun to refer to sweat or perspiration.
Common Structures:
- 出汗 (chū hàn) - To sweat
- 流/淌汗 (liú/tǎng hàn) - To sweat (more vivid)
- 擦/擦去汗 (cā/cā qù hàn) - To wipe sweat
- 满身是汗 (mǎn shēn shì hàn) - To be covered in sweat
Note: When used in compound words, "汗" often retains its literal meaning of sweat but can also take on metaphorical meanings related to effort or embarrassment.
6. Cultural Background
In Chinese culture, the character "汗" (hàn) has several important cultural connotations:
Hard Work and Effort: The phrase "血汗" (xuè hàn - blood and sweat) is commonly used to represent the hard work and effort put into something. This reflects the traditional Chinese value of diligence and perseverance.
Physical Labor: Sweat is often associated with manual labor, and Chinese culture has historically respected those who work hard with their hands.
Embarrassment: The expression "汗颜" (hàn yán) is used to describe feeling ashamed or embarrassed, as if one is sweating from embarrassment.
Health: In traditional Chinese medicine, sweating is considered an important bodily function for eliminating toxins and maintaining health.
7. Example Sentence
Sentence 1: 夏天天气热，很容易出汗。(Xiàtiān tiānqì rè, hěn róngyì chū hàn.)
Translation: It's easy to sweat in the hot summer weather.
Sentence 2: 经过一番努力，他终于取得了成功，这是他用汗水换来的。(Jīngguò yī fān nǔlì, tā zhōngyú qǔdéle chénggōng, zhè shì tā yòng hàn shuǐ huàn lái de.)
Translation: After some effort, he finally achieved success; this was earned through his sweat.
Sentence 3: 看到自己犯了这么低级的错误，他不禁汗颜。(Kàn dào zìjǐ fànle zhème dījí de cuòwù, tā bùjīn hàn yán.)
Translation: Seeing that he had made such a低级 mistake, he couldn't help but feel ashamed.
8. Memory Tips
1. Break it down: The character "汗" consists of two parts - "氵" (water radical) and "干" (dry). Imagine that when we are "dry" and hot, we produce "water" (sweat).
2. Create a vivid image: Picture someone working hard on a hot day, with sweat dripping from their forehead. Connect this image to the character "汗" (hàn).
3. Stroke order: Practice writing the character following the correct stroke order: dot (from the water radical), horizontal stroke, vertical stroke, horizontal stroke, horizontal stroke, and vertical stroke for the "干" part.
4. Use association: Associate "汗" with common situations where sweating occurs - exercise, hot weather, nervousness, or hard work.
5. Learn related words: By learning words like 汗水 (sweat), 出汗 (to sweat), and 汗流浃背 (to be soaked with sweat), you'll reinforce your memory of the character.