弹
to play (string/keys); to bounce; bullet (dàn)
HSK level
- Pinyin
- tán
- Part of speech
- verb
- Level
- HSK 4
- Strokes
- 11
- Register
- neutral
Stroke order for 弹
弹 is written with 11 strokes. The animation replays automatically.
What does 弹 mean?
弹 is a two-reading character.
As a verb read tán, it means to play a plucked or keyed instrument (弹钢琴 'play piano,' 弹吉他 'play guitar'), and by extension to flick, spring, or bounce (皮球弹起来, 'the ball bounces up'). As a noun read dàn, it means a bullet, shell, or projectile (子弹 'bullet,' 炸弹 'bomb'). The seed gloss lists the dàn 'bullet' meanings, but the HSK 4 entry is the verb tán.
English speakers should note that Chinese uses different 'play' verbs for different instruments: 弹 (tán) for piano, guitar, and other plucked/keyed strings; 拉 (lā) for bowed instruments like violin (拉小提琴); 吹 (chuī) for wind instruments; and 打 (dǎ) for drums. You never use the generic 玩 ('play, have fun') for playing an instrument. Register is neutral.
Note: 弹 has two readings: tán (verb — to play an instrument, to bounce, to flick) and dàn (noun — bullet, shell, ball, as in 子弹 zǐdàn). Context and grammar decide; the HSK 4 verb sense is tán.
Example sentences
她会弹钢琴。
Tā huì tán gāngqín.
She can play the piano.
spoken
我弟弟每天练习弹吉他。
Wǒ dìdi měitiān liànxí tán jítā.
My younger brother practices guitar every day.
neutral
这个球弹得很高。
Zhège qiú tán de hěn gāo.
This ball bounces really high.
spoken
他给我们弹了一首好听的曲子。
Tā gěi wǒmen tán le yì shǒu hǎotīng de qǔzi.
He played a lovely piece for us.
neutral
Common phrases with 弹
Synonyms
拉 is the 'play' verb for bowed strings (violin, erhu). 弹 is for plucked or keyed strings (piano, guitar). Choose by instrument, not interchangeably.
打 is the 'play' verb for percussion (drums: 打鼓). 弹 is for plucked/keyed strings. Both mean 'play an instrument' but for different instrument types.
Don't confuse 弹 with
谈 (to talk, discuss) sounds identical to the tán reading of 弹 but has the 讠 speech radical and means to converse. 弹 uses the 弓 bow radical and means to play/bounce.
单 (single; list) looks similar to the top of 弹 but is a different character meaning 'single' or 'form/bill.' Don't confuse the shapes.
FAQ
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