滩

灘

tān

氵 + 难

Definitions

tān (noun) beach; sandy shore

tān (noun) shoal; rapids

Etymology

Phonosemantic compound. 氵 represents the meaning and 难 represents the sound. Simplified from 灘.

About

The character 滩 is a phono-semantic compound: the water radical 氵 (shuǐ) provides the semantic category of water-related features, while the component 难 (nán) on the right indicates its pronunciation. Its traditional form is 灘, which uses the more complex phonetic element 難. The primary meaning refers to a geographical feature where water meets land, such as a beach, sandy shore, or mudflat along rivers, lakes, or oceans. This sense extends to shallow, hazardous areas in rivers with strong currents and exposed rocks or sandbars, connecting the water radical to these specific aquatic environments.

Etymology Hide

Bronze Mid Warring States (~300 BC)

Seal Chu (Warring States: 475-221 BC)

Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)

Clerical Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)

Traditional Modern

Simplified Modern

Example Sentences Hide

海滩上有很多人。

Hǎitān shàng yǒu hěn duō rén.

There are many people on the beach.

孩子们在沙滩堆城堡。

Háizimen zài shātān duī chéngbǎo.

The children are building castles on the sand beach.

河滩边停着几条小船。

Hétān biān tíngzhe jǐ tiáo xiǎo chuán.

There are several small boats parked by the river beach.

这片滩涂是候鸟的栖息地。

Zhè piàn tāntú shì hòuniǎo de qīxīdì.

This tidal flat is a habitat for migratory birds.

夕阳下的金色沙滩很美。

Xīyáng xià de jīnsè shātān hěn měi.

The golden sand beach under the sunset is very beautiful.

我们在海滩散步，听着海浪声。

Wǒmen zài hǎitān sànbù, tīngzhe hǎilàng shēng.

We are walking on the beach, listening to the sound of the waves.

治理污水排放，保护滩涂生态环境。

Zhìlǐ wūshuǐ páifàng, bǎohù tāntú shēngtài huánjìng.

Treat sewage discharge to protect the ecological environment of the tidal flats.

由于潮汐作用，这片滩涂的地貌每天都在变化。

Yóuyú cháoxī zuòyòng, zhè piàn tāntú de dìmào měitiān dōu zài biànhuà.

Due to tidal action, the geomorphology of this tidal flat changes every day.

Related Characters

Component: 氵

Component: 难

滩