Meaning
between; among; space; (measure word); interstice; separate
Chinese: 中间、空间或间隔。
Hear the Four Tones
The same syllable “jian” becomes a different word in each tone. 间 is the 1st tone. Tap any tone to hear a native voice and see its pitch shape.
Stroke Order
Tap Animate to watch the strokes in order, or Practice to trace it yourself.
Common Words
- 时间shí jiān(concept of) time; (duration of) time; (point in) time
- 房间fáng jiānroom
- 中间zhōng jiānthe middle; the inside; in the middle; within
- 洗手间xǐ shǒu jiāntoilet; lavatory; washroom
- 民间mín jiānamong the people; popular; folk; non-governmental
Example Sentence
这个房间很干净。Zhè ge fáng jiān hěn gān jìng.This room is very clean.
这个Zhè ge(pronoun) this房间fáng jiānroom很hěnvery干净gān jìngclean。
Go deeper
Where this character comes from
Light (日, originally the moon) showing through the gap of a door (门): the space in between. It means ‘between / interval / room’. Simplified from 間.
A way to remember it
Light slipping through a doorway crack — the space in between.