歛
How to Say
How to Write
Meaning: to desire
💡 Think 'han' as 'hungry and needy'—欠 (lack) + 僉 (all) = desire for everything.
Compounds
Character Story & Explanation
歛 (hān) is a rare character meaning 'to desire' or 'to covet'. It is composed of the radical 欠 (qiàn, 'to yawn' or 'lack') and 僉 (qiān, 'all'), suggesting a strong longing. Unlike 貪 (tān, 'greed'), 歛 emphasizes a yearning for something absent. It appears in classical texts but is not used in modern Chinese.
Example Sentences
Common Compounds
Similar Characters — Don't Mix These Up
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