专 (zhuān) - Meaning, Stroke Order & Audio

专

zhuān[zhuan1]Tone 1

specialized / focused

HSK 3

View Traditional FormSwitch to Traditional

專

Multiple Readings (多音字):

Guru Deep Dive

English · specialized / focused

Cached lesson

1 / 1

Topology:Top-bottom

Strokes:9

Writing Balance Rule: Keep the upper horizontal elements compact and centered, ensuring the lower vertical and sweeping strokes provide a stable, balanced base.

Simplification Logic: The traditional form 專 was simplified by standardizing the top components and merging complex inner strokes into a streamlined lower structure.

1. Meaning

focused on one thing, special, specialized

for a particular person, occasion, or purposeexpertparticular to somethingconcentrated

Adjective / Bound MorphemeNeutralBound morpheme#focus#profession#specialization

Sample Usage

这是我的专业。
zhè shì wǒ de zhuānyè.
This is my major / specialty.
专心听讲
zhuānxīn tīngjiǎng
Listen attentively and with full concentration.

2. Sound

/[tʂu̯an⁵⁵]/Tone: 55

专

zhuānzhuan1

¯(55)

=zhuān

Initial Consonant

Type: Unaspirated Retroflex

Sounds like: j/dr retroflex sound

UnaspiratedRetroflex

Airflow Tactile Test: No burst of air. Tongue curled up. Tissue stays still.

Tongue & Mouth Position: Tongue tip curled back near hard palate

Final Rhyme

uan

Vowel Group: -a vowel group

Sounds like: wahn sound

Mouth Shape Guide: Pronounce as standalone vowel 'wahn'.

Common Learner Trap: Keep vowel quality steady across all 4 tone contours.

Tone

T1 (55)

5 → 5 (55)

1st Tone (High-Flat)

Tone Pitch & Cadence: Tone 1 is a high, level pitch (55) similar to holding a single musical note at the top of your vocal range.

👂

Listening trap: Confusing the retroflex initial 'zh-' with the dental affricate 'z-' (making it 'zuān' instead of 'zhuān').

👋

Physical Tone Gesture: Imagine holding a flat, high musical note straight across without letting your voice waver, like a singer hitting a high C and holding it steady.

3. Writing

Topology: Top-bottom · Strokes: 9 strokes

Writing Balance Rule: Keep the upper horizontal elements compact and centered, ensuring the lower vertical and sweeping strokes provide a stable, balanced base.

Simplification Logic: The traditional form 專 was simplified by standardizing the top components and merging complex inner strokes into a streamlined lower structure.

4. Components

Radical 寸 · Inch Radical (Hand, thumb, or measurement)

Semantic Clue (形旁): 寸 (Represents the hand holding or controlling something with intent.)

The character combines a spinning tool / hand element above with the 'inch' (寸) radical below, symbolizing holding onto one specific task with focused attention.

匋 variant parts Represents a spindle or tool
寸 Hand / measurement of precision

Phonetic Family (形声字家族)

5· Phonetic Root: 专 (zhuān)

5. History

Liushu category: Phono-semantic (形声)

Origin: Originally depicted a hand holding a spindle used in spinning thread, representing the concentrated effort required to spin expertly.

Semantic Evolution: From the physical act of spinning with focused care, the meaning broadened to any form of specialized concentration, expertise, or exclusive purpose.

In ancient times, mastering the spindle required absolute dedication, linking the imagery directly to specialization.

6. Sinosphere

🇻🇳

Sino-Vietnamese

chuyên

Matches the Mandarin Tone 1 high level pitch closely with the Vietnamese ngang tone.

🇯🇵

Kanji (Japanese)

On: セン / Kun: もっぱら

🇰🇷

Hanja (Korean)

전

Sound Shift Bridge: The Mandarin 'zhuān' corresponds to Sino-Vietnamese 'chuyên' and Sino-Japanese 'sen'.

7. Memory

Vivid Mnemonic Story

Picture a master craftsman using a hand (寸) to guide a spinning tool with absolute, laser-like focus on one single (专) task.

Phonetic Family (形声字家族)

传

chuánto pass on, transmitUses the person radical (亻) on the left to indicate passing something from person to person.

转

zhuǎnto turn, shiftUses the vehicle radical (车) on the left, indicating turning or rotating a vehicle.

Lookalikes & Traps (形近字)

转(zhuǎn)

转 has the vehicle radical (车) for turning/moving, whereas 专 relates to focus and specialization.

传(chuán)

传 has the person radical (亻) for transmitting to others, unlike 专.

8. Mastery

Active Recall Challenge

他上课非常[___]心。

Clue: zhuān

Common Learner Pitfall

Mistaking 专 for its phonetic family lookalikes like 转 or 传 by writing the wrong radical on the left side.

Memory Prompts

Recognition: What does 专 mean when you see it in words like 专业 or 专心?

Production: How do you write the character for 'specialized/focused' (zhuān) with 9 strokes?

专zhuānspecialized / focused

Speed:

Searching YouTube for native pronunciation videos...

0 / 0