HanziGuru.貪 · tān
貪
tān[tan1]Tone 1

greedy

HSK 7
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贪
Guru Deep Dive

English · greedy

Cached lesson
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Topology:Top-bottom
Strokes:8
Writing Balance Rule: The top component (今) should be slightly compressed, while the bottom component (贝) should be wide and balanced to support the whole character.
1. Meaning

greedy

to have a voracious desire forto covetcorrupt
Adjective / VerbNeutral#emotions#ethics#behavior
Sample Usage
  • 他做事总是贪多求快。
    tā zuò shì zǒng shì tān duō qiú kuài.
    He is always greedy for quantity and rushes things when doing work.
  • 为官不能贪污。
    wéi guān bù néng tān wū.
    Officials must not be corrupt or take bribes.
2. Sound
/[tʰän˥˥]/Tone: 55
貪
tāntan1
++
¯(55)
=tān
Build the syllable
Step-by-step blending
tan
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
t
Type: Aspirated Alveolar
Sounds like: t sound
Aspirated
Airflow Tactile Test: Explosive puff of breath! Tissue held before mouth MUST flutter.
Tongue & Mouth Position: Tongue tip touches the alveolar ridge just behind upper front teeth, releasing a strong puff of air.
Final Rhyme
an
Vowel Group: -a vowel group
Sounds like: -an rhymes with 'con' in calm or 'an' in tan
Mouth Shape Guide: Pronounce as standalone vowel 'ahn'.
Common Learner Trap: Keep vowel quality steady across all 4 tone contours.
Tone
T1 (55)
1st Tone (High-Flat)
Tone Pitch & Cadence: Tone 1 is a high, level pitch matching a flat musical note, similar to saying 'mde' or 'A' in surprise.
👂
Listening trap: Do not confuse with the 2nd tone (tán) or 4th tone (tàn). Ensure the pitch stays high and level without dipping.
👋
Physical Tone Gesture: A high, flat musical note held steady at the top of your vocal range, like singing a single high pitch.
3. Writing

Topology: Top-bottom · Strokes: 8 strokes

Writing Balance Rule: The top component (今) should be slightly compressed, while the bottom component (贝) should be wide and balanced to support the whole character.

4. Components

Radical 贝 · Shell / Cowrie Radical (Money, wealth, or valuables)

Semantic Clue (形旁): 贝 (Indicates wealth, money, or material goods associated with greed.)

Phonetic Clue (声旁): 今 (original sound: jin/tan phonetic loan structure)

A person living in the present moment (今) stares endlessly at money and valuables (贝), forming a greedy desire.

  • 今 Top component, phonetic/historical clue
  • 贝 Bottom component, represents money and treasures
5. History
Liushu category: Phono-semantic (形声)

Origin: Originally combined elements representing a person or present state (今) with shell currency (贝), depicting the obsession with accumulating wealth.

Semantic Evolution: Shifted from general hoarding of cowrie shells to any form of excessive desire, covetousness, or corruption.

  • Shells served as ancient Chinese currency, making '贝' the foundational root for words related to wealth, value, and greed.
6. Sinosphere
🇯🇵
Kanji (Japanese)
On: タン / Kun: た・る
🇰🇷
Hanja (Korean)
탐
7. Memory
Vivid Mnemonic Story

Right now (今) in the present moment, someone stares at a pile of money and shells (贝) with eyes full of greedy (贪) desire.

Phonetic Family (形声字家族)
今
jīnnowPhonetic Core (声旁)
含
hánto contain+ 口 (mouth)
吟
yínto chant; to recite; verse; song (often used in titles of classical poems)+ 口 (mouth)
贪
tāngreedy+ 贝 (shell)
Explore this family →
Lookalikes & Traps (形近字)
贫(pín)
贪 has 今 (now) on top of 贝 (money) - wanting money now makes you greedy. 贫 has 分 (divide) on top of 贝 (money) - having your money divided leaves you poor.
8. Mastery
Active Recall Challenge
做人不能太[___]，我們要知足常樂。
Clue: tān
Common Learner Pitfall

Confusing the top part 今 with similar top components like 文, or mixing up 贪 (greedy) with 贫 (poor) due to the shared 贝 radical.

Memory Prompts
Recognition: What does the character 贪 mean, and what are its key components?
Production: How do you write the character for 'greedy' (tān) using the 'now' component over the 'shell/money' radical?
Real-World Video Context

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

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