弹 tán
“to pluck (a string); to play (a string instrument); to spring or leap”
verb, verb / nounHSK 4 · 2021 list level 5Traditional 彈
新HSK等级2025 HSK 3.0 syllabus level
弹 appears in the November 2025 exam syllabus in the following numbered entry. Levels refer to the listed reading and use, not every meaning.
- Entry 1719: 弹 tán — Level 4; official annotation 4 (动). PDF page 122
Separate from the HSK 2.0 and 2021 list labels above. Compare the three lists.
用法How to use 弹
弹 means to play a stringed instrument such as the piano or guitar. It is a verb and usually comes before the instrument: 弹钢琴, 弹吉他. For bowed instruments like the violin, use 拉 instead.
例句Example sentences
- 他会弹钢琴。tā huì tán gāng qín.He can play the piano.
- 我妹妹每天弹吉他。wǒ mèi mei měi tiān tán jí tā.My younger sister plays the guitar every day.
- 你能弹一首歌吗？nǐ néng tán yì shǒu gē ma?Can you play a song?
常见错误Common mistakes
-
✗我会弹小提琴。
✓我会拉小提琴。
弹 is used for plucked or keyboard string instruments, but 拉 is used for bowed instruments like the violin.
义项All meanings
- dàn: crossball; bullet; shot; shell; ball
- tán: to pluck (a string); to play (a string instrument); to spring or leap; to shoot (e.g. with a catapult); (of cotton) to fluff or tease; to flick