串

chuàn

丨 + 吕

HSK 2.0Level 6

HSK 3.0Level 6

Definitions

chuàn (verb) to string together; to skewer

chuàn (noun) string; bunch; series

chuàn (verb) to move swiftly in a line

Etymology

Pictograph of two objects on a skewer strung together.

About

串 is a pictograph of two objects strung together on a skewer. It combines two 口 shapes (representing items, not mouths) stacked vertically and pierced through their centers by a single vertical stroke 丨, forming an image of items threaded on a stick or string. Originally, this depicted skewered meat or the strings of copper coins used in trade. From this picture, it came to serve as a verb meaning to string together or connect, and as a classifier for bunches of things like grapes or keys. The sense of stringing together later broadened to include negative figurative meanings of colluding or ganging up.

Etymology Hide

Bronze Late Shang dynasty (~1100 BC)

Seal Chu (Warring States: 475-221 BC)

Traditional Modern

Simplified Modern

Example Sentences Hide

他买了一串葡萄。

Tā mǎi le yī chuàn pútáo.

He bought a bunch of grapes.

孩子们在串珠子玩。

Háizimen zài chuàn zhūzi wán.

The children are stringing beads to play.

羊肉串在街上很香。

Yángròu chuàn zài jiē shàng hěn xiāng.

The lamb skewers smell delicious on the street.

这些事件是串在一起的。

Zhèxiē shìjiàn shì chuàn zài yīqǐ de.

These events are linked together.

她不小心说串了台词。

Tā bù xiǎoxīn shuō chuàn le táicí.

She accidentally mixed up her lines.

这个想法像一串珍珠。

Zhège xiǎngfǎ xiàng yī chuàn zhēnzhū.

This idea is like a string of pearls.

他把几个会议串联起来。

Tā bǎ jǐ gè huìyì chuànlián qǐlái.

He linked several meetings together.

数据以字符串形式存储。

Shùjù yǐ zìfú chuàn xíngshì cúnchǔ.

The data is stored in the form of a character string.

Related Characters

Composed characters:

Component: 丨

Component: 吕

串