繁

2 readings · tap one to hear it

complicated; many; in great numbers; abbr. for 繁體|繁体[fan2 ti3], traditional form of Chinese characters

Sound it out + =

Formation & memory

Break the character into parts you already know.

Phono-semantic compound (形声字)

糸 meaning “silk” + 敏 sound ( mǐn )

Components 敏糸

numerous · Heisig RSH #2421

敏 quick-witted + floss

Keyword method from Heisig's Remembering Simplified Hanzi.

The most common words first — learning a character in context makes it stick.

Word	Pinyin	Meaning
名目繁多	míng mù fán duō	names of many kinds (idiom); items of every description
满天繁星	mǎn tiān fán xīng	lit. whole sky, a multitude of stars
繁体字	fán tǐ zì	traditional Chinese character
繁花	fán huā	flourishing blossom; a mass of flowers; luxuriant flowers
繁体	fán tǐ	traditional form of Chinese, as opposed to simplified form 簡體\|简体[jian3 ti3]
繁文	fán wén	convoluted; elaborate formalities
无性繁殖	wú xìng fán zhí	asexual reproduction
繁多	fán duō	many and varied; of many different kinds
繁昌区	Fán chāng Qū	Fanchang, a district of Wuhu City 蕪湖市\|芜湖市[Wu2 hu2 Shi4], Anhui
有性繁殖	yǒu xìng fán zhí	sexual reproduction
繁重	fán zhòng	heavy; burdensome; heavy-duty; arduous; onerous
繁本	fán běn	detailed edition; unexpurgated version
繁星	fán xīng	many stars; a vast sky full of stars
春秋繁露	Chūn qiū Fán lù	Luxuriant Dew of the Spring and Autumn Annals, ideological tract by Han dynasty political …
简繁转换	jiǎn fán zhuǎn huàn	conversion from simple to traditional Chinese characters
繁征博引	fán zhēng bó yǐn	an elaborate string of references; many quotations
良种繁育	liáng zhǒng fán yù	stock breeding (biology)
繁华	fán huá	flourishing; bustling
繁复	fán fù	complicated
繁密	fán mì	numerous and close together; (of hair) luxuriant; (of woods) dense; (of gunfire) intense

Characters sharing the sound component 敏 — compare how they read.

Character	Pinyin	Meaning
敏 sound part	mǐn	fast, quick; clever, smart
鳘	mǐn	codfish