Definitions

chān (verb) to mix; to blend
shǎn (verb) to grasp

Etymology

Phonosemantic compound. represents the meaning and represents the sound. Simplified form of .

Semantic: Phonetic:

About

The traditional character 摻 is composed of the hand radical (扌) and the phonetic component 參 (cān), structurally indicating a hand-related action. Its earliest meanings centered on the action of holding or grasping something, such as in the phrase "摻執子之袪兮". Over time, its primary semantic field shifted away from merely holding towards the act of mixing or blending substances together, particularly with the implication of adding one thing into another. This evolved into its core modern meaning of mixing in or adulterating, often suggesting the addition of an inferior element. The simplified form 掺 directly simplifies the phonetic element from 參 to 参, but retains the same hand radical and carries forward this later meaning of mixing or adding into a whole.

Example Sentences Hide

他在茶里了牛奶。

Tā zài chá lǐ chān le niúnǎi.

He mixed milk into the tea.

不要假货。

Bù yào chān jiǎhuò.

Don't mix in fake goods.

咖啡里糖更好喝。

Kāfēi lǐ chān táng gèng hǎohē.

Coffee tastes better with sugar mixed in.

这种材料了化学物质。

Zhè zhǒng cáiliào chān le huàxué wùzhì.

This material has chemical substances mixed in.

他们在讨论入新元素。

Tāmen zài tǎolùn chān rù xīn yuánsù.

They are discussing mixing in new elements.

如果太多水,味道会变淡。

Rúguǒ chān tài duō shuǐ, wèidào huì biàn dàn.

If too much water is mixed in, the flavor will become bland.

为了避免混淆,我们不其他颜色。

Wèile bìmiǎn hùnxiáo, wǒmen bù chān qítā yánsè.

To avoid confusion, we do not mix in other colors.

在工业生产中,杂技术常用于改善材料性能。

Zài gōngyè shēngchǎn zhōng, chānzá jìshù cháng yòng yú gǎishàn cáiliào xìngnéng.

In industrial production, doping technology is often used to improve material properties.