閃 (shǎn) - Flash — to flash & to dodge

閃Tone 3

shǎn ｜ 10 strokes ｜ radical:

姗善

閃 · shǎn

Flash — to flash;

to dodge;

to evade;

to sparkle;

to shine;

also used in words for lightning and sudden movement.

Flash — to flashto dodgeto evade

Usage highlights

LightningTo flashTo dodge/evadeTo flash pastTo get out of the wayFlash of light

Synonyms

  • 烁— to glitter; to shine
  • 躲— to hide; to dodge
  • 避— to avoid; to evade

Antonyms

  • 迎— to welcome; to meet head-on
  • 撞— to collide; to bump into

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • The lightning flashed across the sky (闪电).
  • He dodged the incoming ball (闪避).
  • The diamond sparkled in the light (闪烁).
  • A brilliant idea suddenly came to mind (灵光一闪).

Collocations

  • Lightning(闪电)
  • To flash(闪烁)
  • To dodge/evade(闪避)
  • To flash past(闪过)
  • To get out of the way(闪开)
  • Flash of light(闪光)

Idioms

  • Dazzling and brilliant(金光闪闪)
  • As fast as lightning(电闪雷鸣)
  • To dodge left and right(左躲右闪)
  • A flash of inspiration(灵光一闪)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • The character combines 'gate' (門) and 'person' (人), originally depicting a person quickly moving through a gate, hence the meaning 'to dodge' or 'flash'.
  • In modern usage, it is strongly associated with lightning and sudden, brilliant phenomena.
  • It is used in internet slang to mean 'to log off' or 'disappear' (e.g., 我闪了).

FAQ