Definition
滩 (tān) is a bound morpheme meaning 'beach', 'shoal', or 'sandbank'. It cannot stand alone as a word; you always see it as part of a compound like 海滩 (hǎitān, beach) or 沙滩 (shātān, sandy beach). Think of it as a root that combines with a preceding character to specify the type of shore or bank.
b.f.
beachshoalsandbank (bound form, used in compounds)
Examples
- 。Xiàtiān hěnduō rén qù hǎi tān yóuyǒng.In summer many people go to the beach to swim.
- ，。Zhè piàn shā tān yòu xì yòu ruǎn, hěn shìhé sànbù.This stretch of sandy beach is fine and soft, great for walking.
- ，。Héshuǐ tuìqù hòu, hé tān shàng liúxià le hěnduō bèiké.After the river receded, many shells were left on the river shoal.
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