(kān)

HSK 7-912 strokes

(bound form) may

Stroke order animation

Character information

Pinyin
kān
Meaning
(bound form) may; can; (bound form) to endure; to bear; (in 堪舆) heaven (contrasted with earth 舆)
Strokes
12
HSK level
HSK 7-9
Traditional
Same

Origin & structure

Where comes from and how its parts fit together.

Ideograph⿰土甚

One with a considerable amount 甚 of land 土

A combination of parts whose meanings add up to the whole.

Made of

Parts are arranged left to right.

How to write step by step

12 strokes — each frame adds one stroke, shown in dark ink over the lighter ones.

  1. 1
  2. 2
  3. 3
  4. 4
  5. 5
  6. 6
  7. 7
  8. 8
  9. 9
  10. 10
  11. 11
  12. 12

Words with

Common words using — tap any character to open its stroke-order page.

kān
HSK 7-9

cannot bear; cannot stand; utterly; extremely

Open 不堪 page →
kānchēng
HSK 7-9

can be rated as

Open 堪称 page →
nánkān
HSK 7-9

hard to take

Open 难堪 page →
kān

how can one endure?; to be able to endure

Open 可堪 page →
kānyōu

worrying; bleak

Open 堪忧 page →

Canberra, capital of Australia

Open 堪培拉 page →

Kamchatka (peninsula in far eastern Russia)

Open 堪察加 page →

Related characters

Ready to master 堪?

Trace 堪 stroke by stroke in the online practice tool, or turn it into a printable worksheet PDF with Tianzige practice grids, pinyin, and stroke-order breakdowns.