钻

2 readings · tap one to hear it

drill; auger; diamond

Sound it out + + = · + + =

Formation & memory

Break the character into parts you already know.

Phono-semantic compound (形声字)

钅 meaning “metal” + 占 sound ( zhàn )

Components 钅占

drill · Heisig RSH #1612

metal + 占 tell fortunes

Keyword method from Heisig's Remembering Simplified Hanzi.

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

Word	Pinyin	Meaning
钻石王老五	zuàn shí wáng lǎo wǔ	highly eligible bachelor; desirable male partner
万头钻动	wàn tóu zuān dòng	(Tw) see 萬頭攢動\|万头攒动[wan4 tou2 cuan2 dong4]
钻空子	zuān kòng zi	to take advantage of a loophole; to exploit an advantage; to seize the opportunity (esp. t…
钻木取火	zuān mù qǔ huǒ	to drill wood to make fire
无孔不钻	wú kǒng bù zuān	lit. leave no hole undrilled (idiom); to latch on to every opportunity
独立钻石	dú lì zuàn shí	solitaire (puzzle)
钻心虫	zuān xīn chóng	boring insect; snout moth's larva (Aphomia gullaris or Plodia interpuncuella or Heliothus …
钻井平台	zuān jǐng píng tái	(oil) drilling platform
钻牛角	zuān niú jiǎo	lit. honing a bull's horn; fig. to waste time on an insoluble or insignificant problem; to…
钻头	zuàn tóu	drill bit
钻心	zuān xīn	to sneak in; to infiltrate; to be piercingly painful; to be unbearable (of pain, itch etc)
钻牛角尖	zuān niú jiǎo jiān	lit. to penetrate into a bull's horn (idiom); fig. to waste time on an insoluble or insign…
钻机	zuàn jī	drilling machine
手钻	shǒu zuàn	gimlet; hand drill
气钻	qì zuàn	pneumatic drill
电钻	diàn zuàn	electric drill
开钻	kāi zuān	to start drilling
风钻	fēng zuàn	pneumatic drill; jackhammer
钻眼	zuān yǎn	to drill a hole; drilling
钻石	zuàn shí	diamond; CL:顆\|颗[ke1]

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

Character	Pinyin	Meaning
占 sound part	zhàn	to divine; to observe; to versify
点	diǎn	dot, point, speck
战	zhàn	war, fighting, battle
站	zhàn	stand, station; to halt, to stand; website; measure word for stands and stations
店	diàn	shop, store; inn, hotel
贴	tiē	to stick, to paste; attached; allowance, subsidy
黏	nián	to stick to; glutinous, sticky; glue
沾	zhān	to moisten, to soak, to wet; to touch
粘	zhān	viscous, sticky, mucous, glutinous
毡	zhān	felt; rug, carpet
砧	zhēn	anvil, flat stone
玷	diàn	character flaw; a flaw in a gem
坫	diàn	a stand on which to replace goblets after drinking
苫	shān	rush or straw matting
飐	zhǎn	to sway in the wind
扂	diàn	door latch
鲇	nián	sheatfish; Parasilurus asotus