COMPONENTS & ETYMOLOGY
How 艱 is built
Traditional etymology note: 艮 (tough) suggests the meaning, while 堇 suggests the pronunciation.
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How to Write 艱 (jiān) — Chinese Character Stroke Order, Meaning & Practice Sheet
difficult, hard; hardship
jiānTone 1 (High)Keep your pitch high and level.
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STROKE BY STROKE
Static stroke diagrams
Follow all 17 strokes in the correct order.
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StrokeSheetCharacter Writing Worksheet
jiān
艱
difficult, hard; hardship
Common words
jiān
艱
difficult, hard; hardship
Follow the stroke order, then write it on your own.
艱
艱
艱
艱
艱
艱
艱
艱
LEARNING TIP
Remember 艱
Say “jiān” aloud as you replay the animation. Then hide the model and write the 17 strokes from memory. Short, repeated practice builds a stronger visual and motor connection.
Practice on CanvasWORDS WITH 艱
Common words and phrases
jiān
difficult, hard; hardship
IN CONTEXT
Example sentences
这个字是“艱”。
Zhège zì shì “jiān”.
This character is “艱”.
我正在学习“艱”字。
Wǒ zhèngzài xuéxí “jiān” zì.
I am learning the character “艱”.
请写一遍“艱”。
Qǐng xiě yí biàn “jiān”.
Please write “艱” once.
Frequently asked questions
How many strokes are in 艱?
艱 is written with 17 strokes.
What does 艱 (jiān) mean?
艱 (jiān) means difficult, hard; hardship.
What is the radical of 艱?
The radical of 艱 is 艮, associated with Not yet classified.