算 (suàn) - Meaning, Stroke Order & Audio

算

suàn[suan4]Tone 4

to calculate

HSK 2

Guru Deep Dive

English · to calculate

Cached lesson

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Topology:Top-bottom

Strokes:14

Writing Balance Rule: The top bamboo component (竹) sits compactly, the middle eye/net component (罒) spreads wide horizontally, and the bottom arithmetic/calculation component (廾 or 具 variant parts) anchors the entire character with strong vertical balance.

1. Meaning

to calculate, to compute, to figure

to regard as, to count asto plan, to considerto let it go, that's enough

VerbNeutral#mathematics#cognition#decision making

Sample Usage

这道题怎么算？
zhè dào tí zěnme suàn?
How do you calculate this math problem?
算了，别提了。
suàn le, bié tí le.
Forget it, let's not mention it.

2. Sound

/[su̯an⁵¹]/Tone: 51

算

suànsuan4

`(51)

=suàn

Initial Consonant

Type: Dental Fricative

Sounds like: s like in 'sun'

Unaspirated

Airflow Tactile Test: Clear, steady sibilant hiss.

Tongue & Mouth Position: Tip of the tongue rests gently behind the lower front teeth while air passes through a narrow gap.

Final Rhyme

uan

Vowel Group: -a vowel group

Sounds like: -uan rhymes with 'wan'

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

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

Tone

T4 (51)

5 → 1 (51)

4th Tone (High-Falling)

Tone Pitch & Cadence: Tone 4 starts high and plunges straight down, exactly like an emphatic 'No!' or a stern command in English.

👂

Listening trap: Confusing the third-tone suǎn with suān (sour, Tone 1), or missing the glide between the 'u' and 'a'.

👋

Physical Tone Gesture: A sharp, decisive karate chop downwards from head height to chest level, representing a firm decision or a final mathematical answer.

3. Writing

Topology: Top-bottom · Strokes: 14 strokes

4. Components

Radical 竹 · Bamboo radical (bamboo)

Semantic Clue (形旁): 竹 (Refers to bamboo counting tallies used in ancient calculations.)

Ancient calculations were performed using bamboo counting rods (竹). To figure something out, you arrange the bamboo pieces and measure results with your hands.

竹 bamboo tally sticks
罒 net or grid for organizing data
廾 two hands holding the sticks

Phonetic Family (形声字家族)

5· Phonetic Root: 算 (suàn)

5. History

Liushu category: Phono-semantic (形声)

Origin: Originally depicted bamboo counting rods held in hands to perform arithmetic operations.

Semantic Evolution: Shifted from physical bamboo counting rods to the abstract mental or mechanical process of calculating, planning, and reckoning.

Before paper became widespread, ancient Chinese mathematicians used small bamboo rods called 'chou' to calculate numbers.

6. Sinosphere

🇻🇳

Sino-Vietnamese

toán

Mandarin Tone 4 (sharp falling) corresponds closely to Vietnamese sắc tone.

🇯🇵

Kanji (Japanese)

On: サン / Kun: 数える

🇰🇷

Hanja (Korean)

산

Sound Shift Bridge: The s- initial and -an final show close phonetic retention across East Asian borrowing layers.

7. Memory

Vivid Mnemonic Story

Imagine an accountant holding a bundle of **bamboo** sticks (竹), sorting them inside a grid box (**罒**) with both **hands** (廾) to **calculate** your bill.

Phonetic Family (形声字家族)

蒜

suàngarlicAdds the grass radical (艹) on top because garlic grows from the ground like grass.

Lookalikes & Traps (形近字)

酸(suān)

Contains the wine/west radical (酉) instead of bamboo, meaning 'sour' rather than 'calculate'.

8. Mastery

Active Recall Challenge

这道数学题太难了，我不会[___]。

Clue: suàn

Common Learner Pitfall

Confusing suàn (to calculate) with suān (sour) due to similar spelling and pronunciation, differing only in tone.

Memory Prompts

Recognition: What does 算 mean and how is it pronounced in Tone 4?

Production: How do you write the character for 'to calculate' using bamboo and hand components?

算suànto calculate

Speed:

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