Dictionary › 痰

痰

tán

Character

What 痰 means

1. phlegm
2. spittle

Example sentences

• 禁止吐痰。
  Spitting is prohibited.
• 他有个随地吐痰的习惯。
  Tā yǒu gè suídì tǔtán de xíguàn.
  He has the habit of spitting on the ground.
• 随地吐痰在新加坡算是犯罪行为。
  In Singapore, it is a crime to spit on the ground.

Words starting with 痰

• 痰盂tán yúspittoon
• 痰液tán yèsaliva; spittle
• 痰盂儿tán yú rerhua variant of 痰盂

Words containing 痰

• 吐痰tǔ tánto spit; to expectorate
• 化痰huà tánto transform phlegm (TCM)
• 卡痰kǎ tánto have phlegm stuck in one's throat
• 咳痰ké tánto cough up phlegm; to expectorate
• 黏痰nián tánphlegm
• 理气化痰lǐ qì huà tán(TCM) to rectify 气
• 祛痰qū tánto dispel phlegm (TCM)
• 祛痰药qū tán yàomedicine to dispel phlegm (TCM)
• 鱼生火，肉生痰，青菜豆腐保平安yú shēng huǒ , ròu shēng tán , qīng cài dòu fu bǎo píng ānfish brings heat, meat brings phlegm, vegetables and tofu keep you healthy

Characters built on 炎

These share the phonetic component 炎 (yán), which is why their readings rhyme. Learning them as a family is far cheaper than learning them one at a time.

• 谈tánto speak; to talk; to converse
• 淡dàninsipid; diluted; weak
• 毯tǎnblanket; rug
• 氮dànnitrogen (chemistry)
• 琰yǎngem; glitter of gems
• 郯Tánsurname Tan; name of an ancient city
• 啖dànto eat; to taste; to entice (using bait)
• 剡shànriver in Zhejiang

Characters that look like 痰

Easy to confuse on sight. Compare them side by side once and the pair stops costing you.

• 窥kuīto peep; to pry into
• 痪huànused in 瘫痪
• 瘟wēnepidemic; pestilence; plague; (fig.) stupid; dull; (of a performance) lackluster
• 痘dòupimple; pustule
• 痤cuóacne
• 蒺jíTribulus terrestris

Sounds the same

Read tán, tone for tone, but written differently.

• 谈to speak; to talk; to converse
• 坛altar; platform; rostrum; (bound form) (sporting, literary etc) circles; world
• 潭deep pool; pond; pit (dialect)
• 弹to pluck (a string); to play (a string instrument); to spring or leap
• 檀sandalwood; hardwood; purple-red
• 昙dark clouds
• 覃deep
• 倓quiet; peaceful
• 黮black, dark; unclear; private
• 惔to burn
• 榃raised path between fields
• 锬long spear