Learn Chinese Characters

Meaning

to fight; fight; war; battle

Chinese: 战争、战斗,也表示作战。

Hear the Four Tones

The same syllable “zhan” becomes a different word in each tone. 战 is the 4th 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

  • 战争zhàn zhēngwar; conflict
  • 挑战tiǎo zhànto challenge; to take on a challenge; a challenge
  • 战斗zhàn dòuto fight; to engage in combat; struggle; battle
  • 战士zhàn shìfighter; soldier; warrior
  • 战胜zhàn shèngto prevail over; to defeat; to surmount

Example Sentence

人们都希望和平,不要战争。Rén men dōu xī wàng hé píng, bú yào zhàn zhēng.People all hope for peace, not war.

人们Rén menpeopledōuall希望xī wàngto hope和平hé píngpeace不要bú yàodon't!战争zhàn zhēngwar

Go deeper

Where this character comes from

Simplified from 戰: 占 (sound) plus 戈 (a dagger-axe, weapon): to take up arms — ‘war, battle; to fight; to tremble’ (战争, 挑战).

A way to remember it

Take up the weapon (戈) — war, to fight.