丹 dān — red, cinnabar · English

丹

dān

red, cinnabar

At a glance · 丹

Listen

Audio is synthesized in your browser: Mandarin for the character and Shuowen text, native voices for every translation. No downloads.

Evolution of the glyph

Five stages, from a sketch of the real object to regular script — tap a stage, drag the timeline, or play the animation.

Object sketchBefore writing · drawing what was seen
Oracle boneShang dynasty · c. 1300–1046 BCE
Seal scriptQin dynasty · 221–206 BCE
Clerical scriptHan dynasty · 206 BCE–220 CE
Regular scriptWei–Jin to Tang · c. 3rd–9th century CE

Object sketchBefore writing · drawing what was seenOracle boneShang dynasty · c. 1300–1046 BCESeal scriptQin dynasty · 221–206 BCEClerical scriptHan dynasty · 206 BCE–220 CERegular scriptWei–Jin to Tang · c. 3rd–9th century CE

⚠ Some ancient forms are not attested：oracle bone form、seal script form。No excavated oracle bone / seal artifact is attested for this character yet; we leave it blank rather than fabricate.

甲骨文、金文象矿井中采得的朱砂（·在井中），象形，本指丹砂红。隶楷作「丹」。

What the sketch shows

Origins & notes

「丹」本指丹砂，引申为红色、仙药。

Structure

象形字，象采丹砂于井中之形，表红色。

At a glance

Pinyindān

Radical丿

Strokes4

UnicodeU+4E39

Character type象形

Theme颜色

Six languages, one character

Each page offers hreflang versions; switching language keeps the glyphs and meanings aligned.

English red, cinnabar Cinnabar (red mineral); red; elixir.

Français cinabre, rouge Cinabre (minéral rouge); rouge; élixir.

Español cinabrio, rojo Cinabrio (mineral rojo); rojo; elixir.

العربية زنجفر، أحمر زنجفر أحمر أو إكسير.

Русский киноварь, красный Киноварь (красный минерал); красный; эликсир.

Common words

丹dānred
丹青dān qīngpainting

◉ Listen