DICTIONARY · CC-CEDICT

單

简单 · 繁單

Mandarin · pinyin chán#

used in 單于 chán yú

Mandarin · pinyin dān#

Mandarin · pinyin Shàn#

surname Shan

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Characters in this entry

單: Look up this written character
单: dān · single, individual, only; lone

Written characters and their own readings; the entry’s pronunciation is shown above.

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Mandarin tones

2 · chan2

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Dictionary tones. Connected speech can change their realization.

Connected dictionary

1character link44same-tone records1source reference

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Read this spelling in Classical texts

Follow a written form into the eight pinned witnesses: Analects, Mencius, Laozi, Zhuangzi, Xunzi, Han Feizi, Sunzi and the Mao Shijing. A match is a place to investigate; it does not prove that a modern dictionary sense fits the passage.

單 · find source passages ↗ · 单 · find source passages ↗

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Compare dictionary sources Rime · Wiktionary

Rime Cantonese 粵拼

daan1 · sim4 · sin4 · sin6

Cantonese word readings for 單. This lexicon supplies readings, not definitions.

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Wiktionary English definitions · Chinese section

Independent source senses for this spelling, with usage labels retained. Not matched to the pronunciation above.

character · Etymology 1

single; individual; solitary
thin; narrow; faint
simple; uncomplicated
(of clothes) unlined
(mathematics) short for 單數／单数 (dānshù, “odd”)
(linguistics) short for 單數／单数 (dānshù, “singular”)
cover; bed sheet
list; register; catalogue
only; merely; simply
and; plus
bill (Classifier: 張／张 c)
(Cantonese) receipt (Classifier: 張／张 c)
(Cantonese) transaction; order (Classifier: 張／张 c)
Classifier for cases, deals and businesses.
(Cantonese, derogatory) Classifier for people.
a surname

character · Etymology 2

(obsolete on its own in Standard Chinese) to surround
used in 單于 (chányú)
used in 單閼／单阏 (chányè)

character · Etymology 3

(～縣) Shan County (a county of Shandong)
a surname, Shan, Sin, and Sinn

character · Etymology 4

(alt-of, alternative) alternative form of 嘽 /啴
(alt-of, alternative) alternative form of 繟 /𦈎

character · Etymology 4

(alt-of, alternative) alternative form of 戰 /战 (zhàn)
used in 單至／单至

character · Etymology 8

(rare) a surname

Source page · dump 2026-09-02 · Contributors & history

Wiktionary contributors · CC BY-SA 4.0 · source & license · Data pack