串

• Pinyin: chuàn
• Hanzi breakdown: 串 = two 口 (mouths/objects) connected by a vertical line — things strung together

Meaning

A string of; a bunch of; to string together. As a verb: to visit, to conspire, or to mix up.

As a measure word, 串 counts items strung together like beads, keys, or skewered food. As a verb, it can mean to visit casually, to collude, or to get lines mixed up in performance. Very common in food contexts for skewered items and in social contexts for visiting neighbors.

Examples

1. 他买了三串葡萄和两串羊肉串。 He bought three bunches of grapes and two skewers of lamb.
2. 演员在台上串词了，引起观众一阵笑声。 The actor mixed up his lines on stage, causing the audience to burst into laughter.
3. 小时候邻居们经常互相串门聊天。 When I was young, neighbors often visited each other to chat.

Usage Guide

Context: food, daily life, performance

Tone: casual

Do Say

• 来十串烤肉串！(Give me ten skewers of grilled meat!)
• 周末去奶奶家串门吧。(Let's visit grandma's place this weekend.)

Don't Say

• 一串书。(Books aren't strung together — use 本 for books)

Origin & History

Pictograph of objects threaded on a string, depicting items strung together. The meaning extended from physical stringing to visiting in a linked manner.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal