Chinese Character: 拦
1. Character Basics
Radical: 扌 (hand radical)
Stroke Count: 8
Stroke Order:
2. Pronunciation
Pinyin: lán (Second tone)
3. Meaning
To block; to obstruct; to hinder; to stop; to intercept; to check; to bar; to prevent
4. Common Words
- 阻拦 (zǔlán) - to obstruct; to block; to prevent; to hinder
- 拦截 (lánjié) - to intercept; to stop; to hold up
- 拦阻 (lánzǔ) - to block; to obstruct; to hinder; to stop
- 拦截 (lánjié) - to intercept; to stop; to hold up
- 拦路 (lánlù) - to block the road; to waylay
- 拦网 (lánwǎng) - to block (in volleyball); to intercept
- 拦车 (lánchē) - to stop a vehicle; to hail a taxi
- 拦河坝 (lánhébà) - dam; river dam; barrage
5. Grammar & Usage
The character "拦" is primarily used as a verb meaning "to block" or "to obstruct". It is often combined with other characters to form compound verbs.
Grammar Patterns:
- 阻拦 + 宾语: 阻拦他 (to prevent him)
- 拦截 + 宾语: 拦截车辆 (to stop vehicles)
- 拦 + 路: 拦路 (to block the road)
- 拦 + 网: 拦网 (to block in volleyball)
- 拦 + 车: 拦车 (to stop a vehicle)
- 拦河 + 坝: 拦河坝 (dam)
The character is often used in situations where physical or metaphorical blocking is involved, such as stopping a person, vehicle, or flow of something.
6. Cultural Background
The character "拦" has cultural significance in Chinese society, reflecting concepts of boundaries, control, and protection. The character is often used in contexts related to maintaining order, security, and safety.
In traditional Chinese culture, the idea of "拦" (blocking or preventing) was important for maintaining social order and preventing harm. For example, barriers and checkpoints were used to control access to certain areas or to protect against potential dangers.
The character's structure, with the "扌" (hand) radical, reflects its connection to physical actions involving the hands. In Chinese philosophy, the concept of appropriate blocking or preventing is balanced with the idea of allowing natural flow,体现了阴阳平衡的思想 (reflecting the philosophy of yin-yang balance).
In modern times, the character is commonly used in contexts such as traffic control, security checkpoints, sports (particularly in volleyball and basketball where blocking is a key skill), and everyday situations where stopping or preventing something is necessary.
7. Example Sentence
中文: 警察拦住了那辆可疑的汽车。
Pinyin: Jǐngchá lánzhù le nà liàng kěyí de qìchē.
English: The police stopped that suspicious car.
8. Memory Tips
The character "拦" (lán) consists of two parts:
- The radical "扌" (shǒu, hand) on the left, which indicates that the meaning is related to actions done with the hand
- The component "兰" (lán, orchid) on the right, which provides the pronunciation
To remember the character, think of it as "using your hand (扌) to block something, and it has the pronunciation of orchid (兰)".
Visualize someone using their hand to block or stop something, which helps connect the character's appearance to its meaning.
Associate the character with common words like "阻拦" (zǔlán, to obstruct) and "拦截" (lánjié, to intercept), which reinforces its meaning related to blocking or stopping.
Remember that the radical "扌" is always on the left side of the character, which helps with proper stroke order when writing it.
Break down the character into its components and practice writing it to reinforce your memory of its structure and stroke count.