叹
Character Story & Explanation
叹 has been used since at least the Han dynasty in classical texts to express deep emotional response — especially admiration or sorrow. It appears in famous idioms like 叹为观止 (tàn wéi guān zhǐ), first recorded in the *Zuo Zhuan* (c. 4th century BCE), describing awe at exceptional artistry. Today, it’s common in formal writing, news commentary, and literary criticism — e.g., journalists might write ‘令人叹服’ (lìng rén tàn fú, 'truly admirable') when praising innovation.
The character is not pictographic; its form evolved from seal script. The left side 口 clearly signals oral expression, while the right 又 was adopted for sound (tàn resembles ancient pronunciations of 又). No oracle-bone form survives — but its consistent use in early classics confirms its longstanding role in conveying profound, voiced emotion.
Hi students! Let’s learn 叹 (tàn), a simple but expressive character meaning 'to sigh' — not just breathing out, but expressing emotion: disappointment, admiration, relief, or awe. It’s a Level 6 HSK character, so it appears in advanced texts and literature, but its core use is very human and relatable. Notice the 口 (mouth) radical — this tells us the action involves the mouth and voice, like many speech- or sound-related characters.
This character is often used in written Chinese more than spoken daily talk — you’ll see it in essays, novels, and formal expressions of feeling. Unlike casual spoken phrases like ‘哎呀’ (āiyā), 叹 carries weight and intention. It’s commonly paired with nouns like 气 (qì, 'breath') or verbs like 为 (wèi, 'for') to show *what* someone is sighing about — for example, 叹为观止 (tàn wéi guān zhǐ), meaning 'so amazing it takes your breath away.'
Don’t confuse 叹 with similar-looking characters like 吸 (xī, 'to inhale') or 呼 (hū, 'to exhale'). 叹 is specifically *exhalation with emotional resonance*. Its five strokes are quick to write: start with the mouth radical (口), then add the right-side component 又 (yòu, 'again') — which here functions phonetically, not semantically. Practice writing it slowly while imagining the feeling behind the sigh!
Example Sentences
Common Compounds
Similar Characters — Don't Mix These Up
Your First Step into Chinese Culture: Get a Chinese Name
Every journey into Chinese begins with a name. Use our free Chinese name generator to create a meaningful, personalized Chinese name that fits you perfectly.
Get My Chinese Name →