Definition
铲 (chǎn) is a shovel or spade — a tool with a flat, wide blade for moving loose material like dirt or snow — and the action of shoveling. Its near-synonym 锄 (chú) is a hoe, used for weeding and breaking up soil, not for scooping. Unlike the verb 掏 (tāo), which means to take something out by hand from a confined space, 铲 implies using a tool.
spadeshovel (noun)to shovelto scoop (verb)
Easily confused
- 产chǎnlook-aliketo produce, to manufacture, to yield
- 缠chánsound-aliketo wind around, to coil, to wrap
- 掺chānsound-aliketo mix (one substance into another), to blend in, to adulterate (by adding something)
- 搀chānsound-aliketo take by the arm and assist (e.g., an elderly or injured person)
- 馋chánsound-alike(adjective) gluttonous, greedy for food; fond of eating
Examples
- 铲。Tā yòng chǎn wā le yí gè kēng.He dug a hole with a shovel.
- 铲。Qǐng bǎ dì shàng de xuě chǎn gānjìng.Please shovel the snow off the ground clean.
- 铲，。Zhè bǎ chǎn hěn zhòng, bù hǎo yòng.This shovel is heavy and not easy to use.
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