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Chinese vocabulary · Beginner
How do you say "rotten" in Chinese?
烂
làn
In Chinese, "rotten" is 烂 (làn).
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Pronunciation
Aim to hit làn using a quick, decisive fall in pitch, almost like giving a short command, since this single syllable carries the fourth tone.
Writing and usage
烂 is written using hanzi. It's a adjective, part of the vocabulary taught in the Noun Town language learning game.
Example sentence
苹果已经腐烂了。
píng guǒ yǐ jīng fǔ làn le 。
The apple had gone rotten.
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How to remember 烂
Link the syllable "lahn" to a quick mental flash of rotten, and "làn" will stick as rotten.
Related words
Browse all Chinese words in the glossary.
Questions about 烂
How do you pronounce 烂?
Aim to hit làn using a quick, decisive fall in pitch, almost like giving a short command, since this single syllable carries the fourth tone.
Is 烂 formal or casual?
烂 is a neutral, everyday word that works in both casual and polite speech.
How is 烂 used in Chinese?
烂 is used the same way as the equivalent English adjective. For example: 苹果已经腐烂了。 (The apple had gone rotten.).
Where can I practice Chinese words for free?
You can play free Chinese minigames in your browser on the Noun Town online games page, no sign-up required. Every word in the Chinese glossary also has native audio and an example sentence you can revisit any time.
"Rotten" in other languages
Curated by Jack Ratcliffe
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