HanziGuru.按 · àn
按
àn[an4]Tone 4

to press, to push, according to

HSK 3
Guru Deep Dive

English · to press, to push, according to

Cached lesson
1 / 1
Topology:Left-right
Strokes:9
Writing Balance Rule: Keep the left component (hand radical) compact and narrower than the right side (安) to ensure structural harmony.
1. Meaning

to press or push down with the hand

to control or restrainaccording to or in the light ofauthor or editor's note/comment
Verb and PrepositionNeutral#physical action#prepositional relation#editorial
Sample Usage
  • 请按门铃。
    Qǐng àn ménlíng.
    Please press the doorbell.
  • 按时完成。
    Àn shí wánchéng.
    Complete on time (according to schedule).
2. Sound
/[än⁵¹]/Tone: 51
按
ànan4
++
`(51)
=àn
Initial Consonant
∅
Type: Zero Initial (Pure Vowel)
Sounds like: Zero-initial vowel start
Unaspirated
Airflow Tactile Test: Starts directly on the vowel sound without consonant obstruction.
Tongue & Mouth Position: Flat tongue resting low in the mouth.
Final Rhyme
an
Vowel Group: -a vowel group
Sounds like: -an rhymes with 'on' or 'un' in run
Mouth Shape Guide: Pronounce as standalone vowel 'ahn'.
Common Learner Trap: Keep vowel quality steady across all 4 tone contours.
Tone
T4 (51)
4th Tone (High-Falling)
Tone Pitch & Cadence: Tone 4 starts high and drops sharply to the bottom, identical to a sharp English command like 'No!' or 'Stop!'.
👂
Listening trap: Do not confuse Tone 4 falling pitch with Tone 1 level or Tone 3 dipping pitch.
👋
Physical Tone Gesture: A sharp, authoritative downward chop of the hand, like nodding 'yes' firmly.
3. Writing

Topology: Left-right · Strokes: 9 strokes

Writing Balance Rule: Keep the left component (hand radical) compact and narrower than the right side (安) to ensure structural harmony.

4. Components

Radical 扌 · Hand Radical (Hand action)

Semantic Clue (形旁): 扌 (indicates physical action done with the hand)

Phonetic Clue (声旁): 安 (original sound: an)

A hand (扌) reaches out to press down securely and keep things calm and in place (安).

  • 扌 Hand
  • 安 Safe/Peace (phonetic and semantic hint)
5. History
Liushu category: Phono-semantic (形声)

Origin: Combined from the hand radical (扌) showing physical touch and '安' (ān) which provides the phonetic reading and a sense of settling or putting down.

Semantic Evolution: Originally meant to press down with the hand, later extended to mean keeping down, checking, and then abstractly 'according to' as in laying down a standard.

  • In classical texts, '按' often introduces editorial commentary added by an author.
6. Sinosphere
🇯🇵
Kanji (Japanese)
On: アン / Kun: おさ.える
🇰🇷
Hanja (Korean)
안
7. Memory
Vivid Mnemonic Story

With your hand (扌), you press firmly DOWN (àn) to keep everything safe and in place (安).

Phonetic Family (形声字家族)
安
ānsafe, calmWithout the hand radical, it means peace/safety.
桉
āneucalyptusWith the wood radical (木), it refers to the eucalyptus tree.
Lookalikes & Traps (形近字)
案(àn)
Has the roof radical (宀) on top, meaning a desk, table, or legal case.
8. Mastery
Active Recall Challenge
请[___] 规定完成这项工作。
Clue: àn
Common Learner Pitfall

Confusing 按 (àn) with 案 (àn) due to identical pronunciation, forgetting that 按 uses the hand radical for pressing actions.

Memory Prompts
Recognition: What does the character 按 mean when you see it paired with a hand radical and 安?
Production: How do you write the verb meaning 'to press' or 'according to' with Pinyin àn?
Real-World Video Context

Watch authentic native speakers pronounce and explain this word in real-world YouTube videos.

Search theme
Accent preference

Results are live YouTube search — accents and levels aren't verified.

按ànto press, to push, according to
Speed:
Searching YouTube for native pronunciation videos...
0 / 0
Watch on YouTubeMore Results on YouTube