钻

• Pinyin: zuān
• Hanzi breakdown: 钻 = 钅(metal) + 占 (phonetic), indicating a drilling tool

Meaning

To drill; to bore through; to squeeze into; to dive into study.

As a verb (zuān), means to drill, bore, or squeeze through narrow spaces. Also means to study intensively or dig deep into a subject. As a noun (zuàn), refers to a drill or diamond. Context determines pronunciation.

Examples

1. 他从人群的缝隙中钻了进去，好不容易挤到了最前面。 He squeezed through the gaps in the crowd and finally made it to the front.
2. 这个科研团队钻研这项技术已经整整十年，终于取得了突破。 This research team has been studying this technology for a full ten years and finally achieved a breakthrough.
3. 小猫钻进了沙发底下，怎么叫都不肯出来。 The kitten crawled under the sofa and wouldn't come out no matter how much we called.

Usage Guide

Context: physical action, academic, everyday

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 他钻进了山洞。(He squeezed into the cave.)
• 要钻研才能学好。(You need to study intensively to learn well.)

Don't Say

• 钻牛角尖太久了。(The idiom 钻牛角尖 means being stubborn about details — but 钻 alone doesn't carry this meaning)

Origin & History

The character contains 钅 (metal) radical, relating to metal tools like drills. The right component 占 serves as phonetic.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal