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HSK 3

关

to close; to shut; to turn off

verbneutral
关
guān1st tone

HSK level

1
2
3
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6
Pinyin
guān
Part of speech
verb
Level
HSK 3
Strokes
6
Register
neutral

Stroke order for 关

关 is written with 6 strokes. The animation replays automatically.

What does 关 mean?

关 (guān) is the everyday verb for shutting something or switching something off.

Three core uses cover most cases: physically close — 关门 (close the door), 关窗户 (close the window); turn off electronics — 关灯 (turn off the light), 关电视 (turn off the TV), 关机 (power off / turn off a phone); and shut a business or operation — 商店关了 (the shop has closed). It also appears as part of broader compounds like 关心 (care about — see separate entry), 关系 (relationship), and 关于 (about / regarding). Two notes for English speakers: first, Chinese doesn't distinguish 'close' (door) from 'turn off' (light) — 关 covers both.

Second, its opposite is 开 (kāi), which similarly covers 'open' AND 'turn on.' Learn 开 / 关 as a single pair.

Example sentences

请关门。

Qǐng guān mén.

Please close the door.

polite

睡觉前别忘了关灯。

Shuìjiào qián bié wàng le guān dēng.

Don't forget to turn off the light before bed.

spoken

商店晚上九点关门。

Shāngdiàn wǎnshàng jiǔ diǎn guān mén.

The shop closes at 9 in the evening.

neutral

我的手机关机了。

Wǒ de shǒujī guānjī le.

My phone is turned off.

spoken

Common phrases with 关

关门guān ménclose the door; (of a business) to close
关窗户guān chuānghuclose the window
关灯guān dēngturn off the light
关机guān jīturn off (a phone/machine); power down
关电视guān diànshìturn off the TV

Synonyms

关闭guānbì

关闭 is a more formal/written 'close / shut down' — used for businesses, factories, websites, accounts (账号关闭了 — the account has been closed). 关 is the everyday spoken verb for doors and switches.

Don't confuse 关 with

开kāi

开 is the opposite: 'open / turn on' — 开门 (open the door), 开灯 (turn on the light). 关 / 开 is one of the most-used verb pairs in beginner Chinese; memorize them together.

关心guānxīn

关心 ('to care about') contains 关 but means something completely different: emotional concern, not closing. Don't read 关心 as 'close heart.' Two-character compounds with 关 often take on idiomatic meanings.

FAQ

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