罐 (guàn) - Meaning, Stroke Order & Audio

罐

guàn[guan4]Tone 4

can, jar, pot

HSK 7

Multiple Readings (多音字):

Guru Deep Dive

English · can, jar, pot

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Topology:Left-right

Strokes:23

Writing Balance Rule: Keep the left component (缶) compact and slightly narrower to allow ample breathing room for the complex right-hand phonetic component (雚).

1. Meaning

jar, pot, can

to irrigate or pour (archaic)container made of earthenware or metal

NounNeutral#containers#household objects#kitchenware

Sample Usage

桌上放着一个罐子。
zhuō shàng fàng zhe yí gè guàn zi.
There is a jar placed on the table.
他打开了一罐可乐。
tā dǎ kāi le yí guàn kě lè.
He opened a can of cola.

2. Sound

/[ku̯an⁵¹]/Tone: 51

罐

guànguan4

`(51)

=guàn

Build the syllable

Step-by-step blending

guan

Tone mark placement: Tone mark sits on "a" per main-vowel priority (a > e > o; in -iu/-ui the mark takes the second vowel).

Initial Consonant

Type: Unaspirated Velar

Sounds like: g sound as in 'go'

Unaspirated

Airflow Tactile Test: No burst of air (sounds like 'c' in Vietnamese 'cá' or 'k' in English 'skate').

Tongue & Mouth Position: Back of the tongue rises to make contact with the soft palate.

Final Rhyme

uan

Vowel Group: -a vowel group

Sounds like: -uan rhymes with 'wan' in 'swan'

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 drops sharply to the bottom, like shouting a sudden command or answering an emphatic 'No!'.

👂

Listening trap: Confusing the retroflex 'guan' with dental 'guan' if misheard, or missing the sharp downward drop of Tone 4.

👋

Physical Tone Gesture: A decisive chop of the hand downward from head height to chest level, mimicking a falling object.

3. Writing

Topology: Left-right · Strokes: 23 strokes

Writing Balance Rule: Keep the left component (缶) compact and slightly narrower to allow ample breathing room for the complex right-hand phonetic component (雚).

4. Components

Radical 缶 · Earthenware jar radical (Jar, earthenware container)

Semantic Clue (形旁): 缶 (Indicates pottery, jars, and ceramic vessels)

Phonetic Clue (声旁): 雚 (original sound: guàn)

A pottery jar (缶) paired with the phonetic sound-giver (雚) to create a vessel used for storing liquids or foods.

缶 Left radical meaning earthenware jar
雚 Right phonetic component providing the sound guàn

Phonetic Family (形声字家族)

12· Phonetic Root: 雚 (guàn)

5. History

Liushu category: Phono-semantic (形声)

Origin: The character combines 缶 (clay jar) as a semantic indicator of its container nature, and 雚 (heron/phonetic) to represent the pronunciation.

Semantic Evolution: Originally referred specifically to earthenware pots and urns, later extended to modern metal cans (e.g. 罐头) and glass jars.

The radical 缶 depicts an ancient clay vessel used for wine or water.

6. Sinosphere

🇯🇵

Kanji (Japanese)

On: カン / Kun: つぼ

🇰🇷

Hanja (Korean)

관

7. Memory

Vivid Mnemonic Story

Imagine an ancient clay jar (缶) sitting on a table, guarded by a magnificent heron (雚) standing watch over its contents.

Phonetic Family (形声字家族)

雚

guàn(archaic) stork; heronPhonetic Core (声旁)

权

quánpower, authority, right+ 木 (tree)

灌

guànto pour, to irrigate+ 氵 (water)

勸

+ 力 (power)

Explore this family →

Lookalikes & Traps (形近字)

权(quán)

权 has the wood radical (木), whereas 罐 has the earthenware jar radical (缶).

8. Mastery

Active Recall Challenge

妈妈把汤装进了一个大[___]里。

Clue: guàn

Common Learner Pitfall

Writing or misremembering the complex right-hand phonetic part (雚) or confusing the radical 缶 with similar square-shaped radicals.

Memory Prompts

Recognition: When you see 罐, what does it mean and how is it pronounced?

Production: How do you write the character for 'can/jar' (guàn) with the earthenware radical?

罐guàncan, jar, pot

Speed:

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