ENESFRDE中文

Characters, words, pinyin or English

掺 càn to mix

to mix; to blend; to adulterate; to dilute

How to remember 掺: 扌 hand + 参 take part = to mix. The shop lets customers take part in a coffee tasting, but behind the counter the owner's hand pours in cheap beans to mix it.

  • HSK 8
  • 11 strokes
  • Radical 扌

Component breakdown

掺 = 扌 hand + 参 take part

  • 扌 hand
  • 参 take part
    • 厶 cocoon
    • 大 big
    • 彡 hairs
The Gushi story

The shop lets customers take part in a coffee tasting, but behind the counter the owner's hand pours in cheap beans to mix it.

How it is used

  • To mix in/blend (often adulterate): 掺水 (chān shuǐ) to water down, 掺假 (chānjiǎ) to adulterate with fakes, 掺杂 (chānzá) to mix in impurities.
  • 掺和 (chānhuo) = (colloquial) to butt in / meddle: 别瞎掺和 (bié xiā chānhuo) don't stick your nose in.
  • Often carries a negative sense of diluting or contaminating.