炭 tàn carbon

源How it came to be

A mountain over the ashes block, ash you can put your hand in. Charcoal was burned in pits cut into hillsides, and the character shows where it came from, not what it is.

用How it is used

• Charcoal - 木炭 (mùtàn) charcoal, 煤炭 (méitàn) coal, 炭火 (tànhuǒ) a charcoal fire.
• 雪中送炭 (xuězhōng-sòngtàn), to send charcoal in the snow, means to give timely help when it's most needed - the warm opposite of 锦上添花.

字Characters built with 炭

• 碳 carbon

词Words with 炭

• 煤炭méitàncoalHSK 9