粘 (zhān) - Sticky, viscous & to stick, adhere, glue

粘Tone 1

zhān ｜ 11 strokes ｜ radical:

悦丈

粘 · zhān

Sticky, viscous;

to stick, adhere, glue;

also used as a surname.

Sticky, viscousto stick, adhere, gluealso used as a surname.

Usage highlights

Sticky riceAdhesive tapeViscous fluidStick togetherAdhesive strengthGlutinous

Synonyms

  • 黏— sticky, adhesive (often interchangeable with 粘)
  • 贴— to paste, stick, attach
  • 胶— glue, gum, adhesive

Antonyms

  • 滑— slippery, smooth
  • 松— loose, not adhering
  • 脱— to detach, come off

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • This glue is very sticky (粘性很强).
  • Please stick the stamp here (把邮票粘在这里).
  • The rice cake is glutinous (糯米很粘).
  • He used tape to stick the papers together (用胶带把纸粘在一起).

Collocations

  • Sticky rice(粘米)
  • Adhesive tape(粘胶带)
  • Viscous fluid(粘性液体)
  • Stick together(粘在一起)
  • Adhesive strength(粘合力)
  • Glutinous(粘性的)

Idioms

  • Stick like glue(如胶似粘)
  • Hard to shake off(粘皮带骨)
  • Sticky and messy(粘粘糊糊)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • In Chinese cuisine, 'sticky' texture is often desirable in foods like glutinous rice cakes and dumplings.
  • The character appears in both everyday contexts (adhesives) and specialized terms (viscosity in physics).
  • As a surname, it's relatively uncommon but has historical roots in China.

FAQ