肉串
ròu chuàn · meat skewer or kebab
夜市的肉串很好吃。
The meat skewers at the night market are delicious.
Chinese character · HSK 6
串 (chuàn) — “to string together / skewer”
The character is a direct pictogram of two items pierced through the center and strung together by a single stick or string.
Memory cue
Two square items strung perfectly on a single vertical skewer.
Video mnemonic
Watch 串 in motion
See the visual story unfold, then connect it to the words and sentences below.
Common ways to use 串
Here, 串 (chuàn) names food held on a skewer, extends to a connected series, and appears in fixed words for visiting and guest appearances.
一连串
yī lián chuàn · a series of
她问了一连串问题。
She asked a series of questions.
Usage note: It commonly comes before a plural idea, such as questions, events, or problems.
串门
chuàn mén · to drop by or visit someone at home
我周末去朋友家串门。
I’m going to drop by a friend’s home this weekend.
Usage note: Learn 串门 as a casual social visit, not simply as “door.”
客串
kè chuàn · to make a guest appearance or cameo
李老师在电影里客串了一名医生。
Teacher Li made a cameo as a doctor in the film.
Usage note: Use this for a brief appearance outside someone’s usual role; it does not simply mean being a guest.
Inside the character
- 口 (mouth) — meaning component. Often marks speaking, eating, or any opening.
- 丨 (vertical line) — meaning component. A single vertical stroke — usually a structural piece rather than a meaning carrier.
Where 串 comes from
In oracle bone script, it was a pure pictogram depicting two or more objects (such as coins, shells, or pieces of meat) threaded together on a single line.
Learn 串 the visual way. InkSeal pairs every HSK 1–6
character with an illustration like this one, Common-use words and sentences,
component breakdowns, etymology, and recall-first review. The first 100
characters are free.
More characters: 从 (cóng, from / to follow) · 付 (fù, to pay / to hand over) · 任 (rèn, to appoint / responsibility) — or browse the full character library.