Chinese Character: 烂
1. Character Basics
Radical: 火 (fire radical)
Stroke Count: 9
Stroke Order:
2. Pronunciation
Pinyin: làn (Fourth tone)
3. Meaning
Rotten; decayed; spoiled; soft; mushy; overripe; worn out; broken; bad; inferior
4. Common Words
- 烂掉 (làndiào) - to rot; to spoil; to go bad
- 腐烂 (fǔlàn) - to rot; to decompose; to decay
- 破烂 (pòlàn) - tattered; ragged; broken; junk
- 烂漫 (lànmàn) - brilliant; bright; lively; naive; innocent
- 烂熟 (lànshú) - thoroughly cooked; overripe; very familiar
- 烂摊子 (làntānzi) - a mess; a shambles; a sorry state of affairs
- 烂泥 (lànní) - mud; mire; slush
- 烂醉 (lànzuì) - dead drunk; completely intoxicated
5. Grammar & Usage
The character "烂" is primarily used as an adjective to describe something that is rotten, decayed, or in a bad state. It can also be used in more figurative senses to describe things that are worn out or of poor quality.
Grammar Patterns:
- 烂+掉: 烂掉 (to rot; to spoil)
- 腐+烂: 腐烂 (to rot; to decompose)
- 破+烂: 破烂 (tattered; ragged)
- 烂+漫: 烂漫 (brilliant; lively)
- 烂+熟: 烂熟 (thoroughly cooked; overripe)
- 烂+摊+子: 烂摊子 (a mess; a shambles)
- 烂+泥: 烂泥 (mud; mire)
- 烂+醉: 烂醉 (dead drunk)
6. Cultural Background
The character "烂" has various cultural connotations in Chinese society. While its primary meaning is negative (rotten, decayed), it can also be used in positive or neutral contexts depending on the compound word it forms.
For example, "烂漫" (lànmàn) is often used to describe children's innocence or the beauty of nature, carrying positive connotations. This demonstrates the flexibility of Chinese characters and how their meaning can be transformed through combination with other characters.
In Chinese cuisine, the concept of food being "烂" (thoroughly cooked or soft) is often considered desirable, especially for dishes like stews or soups where ingredients are meant to be tender and flavorful.
The character's structure, with "火" (fire radical) on the left and "兰" (orchid) on the right, visually suggests something that has been burned or overcooked, which aligns with its meaning of being rotten or decayed.
7. Example Sentence
中文: 这些水果已经烂掉了，不能吃。
Pinyin: Zhèxiē shuǐguǒ yǐjīng làndiào le, bùnéng chī.
English: These fruits have rotted and cannot be eaten.
8. Memory Tips
The character "烂" (làn) consists of two parts:
- The radical "火" (fire radical) on the left, indicating that the meaning is related to heat or burning
- The component "兰" (lán, orchid) on the right, which provides the pronunciation
To remember the character, think of it as "something that has been burned or overcooked (火), with a pronunciation similar to 'lán' (兰)".
Associate the character with common words like "烂掉" (làndiào, to rot) and "烂漫" (lànmàn, brilliant) to help with memorization.
Visualize a scenario where food has been overcooked or left out too long and has become rotten, which helps connect the character's appearance (with fire radical) to its meaning.
Break down the character into its components and practice writing it to reinforce your memory of its structure and stroke count.