穿 chuān — to bore through; pierce; perforate; penetrate; pass through; to dress
今天很冷，多穿一件外套吧。Jīn tiān hěn lěng, duō chuān yí jiàn wài tào ba.It is cold today; put on an extra coat.
Common words: 穿上 (chuān shang)、穿越 (chuān yuè)、穿过 (chuān guò)
Meaning Index
Chinese characters meaning "penetrate"
Learn Chinese characters with the meaning "penetrate", including 穿 (chuān), 彻 (chè). Study pinyin, English meanings, traditional forms, common words…
How to Study This Meaning Group
The English word "penetrate" covers 2 different Chinese characters — 穿 (chuān), 彻 (chè) — and each is its own word with its own feel. These 2 characters do not share a sound — their readings span chuān, chè — so confirm the pinyin and tone for each one separately. The example sentences further down show how 穿 and the others are actually used, so you learn them in context rather than as a single translation.
- 穿 chuānto bore through; pierce; perforate; penetrate; pass through; to dressUseful words: 穿上, 穿越
- 彻 chèpervade; penetrate; pass through; thorough; penetratingUseful words: 彻底, 贯彻
Common words for these 2 "penetrate" characters
Anchor each of these 2 characters in a word you can picture — start with 穿 (chuān) — so "penetrate" turns into concrete usage instead of a one-to-one translation.
See each character in a sentence
Each character below is shown in a short example sentence with pinyin and an English translation — the quickest way to feel the difference between the 2 ways to say "penetrate".
彻 chè — pervade; penetrate; pass through; thorough; penetrating
他把房间彻底打扫了一遍。Tā bǎ fáng jiān chè dǐ dǎ sǎo le yí biàn.He thoroughly cleaned the room.
Common words: 彻底 (chè dǐ)、贯彻 (guàn chè)、透彻 (tòu chè)
All 2 characters
Open 穿、彻 or any character below to hear it read aloud and see it used in an example sentence.