Show pageOld revisionsBacklinksBack to top This page is read only. You can view the source, but not change it. Ask your administrator if you think this is wrong. ====== fēngshàn: 风扇 - Electric Fan, Fan ====== ===== Quick Summary ===== * **Keywords:** fēngshàn, 风扇, Chinese fan, electric fan in Chinese, fengshan meaning, what is fengshan, Chinese word for fan, household appliances in Chinese * **Summary:** 风扇 (fēngshàn) is the essential Chinese word for an electric fan. A staple in homes, dorms, and offices across China, this term literally combines the characters for "wind" (风) and "fan" (扇). Understanding a practical word like 风扇 is key to discussing daily life, especially during China's hot and humid summers. This guide will break down its meaning, cultural context, and practical usage. ===== Core Meaning ===== * **Pinyin (with tone marks):** fēng shàn * **Part of Speech:** Noun * **HSK Level:** HSK 3 * **Concise Definition:** An electric appliance with rotating blades that creates a current of air for cooling or ventilation. * **In a Nutshell:** `风扇` is the common, everyday word for the machine you plug in to cool down. It's a very logical and transparent word; if you know the character for "wind" and the one for "fan," you can easily guess what a "wind-fan" is. It's one of the first household appliance words a learner will encounter. ===== Character Breakdown ===== * **风 (fēng):** This character means "wind." It originally depicted a sail filled with wind, capturing the idea of moving air. * **扇 (shàn):** This character means "fan" as an object, and its components hint at its origin. It's composed of 户 (hù), meaning "door," and 羽 (yǔ), meaning "feathers." This paints a picture of a traditional fan made of feathers, perhaps kept near a doorway. * When combined, **风扇 (fēngshàn)** literally means "wind-fan," a perfect description of a machine that creates wind. ===== Cultural Context and Significance ===== * Before the widespread adoption of air conditioning (`空调`), the `风扇` was the undisputed king of summer comfort in China. It was, and in many households still is, an essential appliance for surviving the sweltering heat. The whirring sound of a `风扇` is an iconic auditory backdrop to a Chinese summer. * **Comparison to Western Culture:** While electric fans are common in the West, central air conditioning is far more prevalent in homes, especially in the United States. In China, the `风扇` represents a more accessible, energy-efficient, and ubiquitous solution to heat. It's not uncommon for a family to own multiple fans but only have air conditioning in the main bedroom. The fan symbolizes a practical, direct, and often communal approach to staying cool—families might gather in the one room with the strongest fan on a hot evening. It's a symbol of simple summer life. ===== Practical Usage in Modern China ===== * `风扇` is a high-frequency word used in everyday conversation. You'll hear it in homes, stores, and offices. * **Daily Conversation:** People use it to make simple requests like "turn on the fan" (`开风扇 kāi fēngshàn`) or "turn it off" (`关风扇 guān fēngshàn`). * **Buying a Fan:** When shopping, you might specify the type of fan you need: * `吊扇 (diàoshàn)` - Ceiling fan (literally "hanging fan") * `落地扇 (luòdìshàn)` - Floor fan (literally "floor-standing fan") * `台扇 (táishàn)` - Desk fan (literally "desk/platform fan") * **Fan vs. Air Conditioner:** It's common to hear discussions comparing the two. Many people prefer a `风扇` because it's cheaper to run (`省电 shěngdiàn` - saves electricity) and the breeze feels more natural than the cold, dry air from an air conditioner (`空调 kōngtiáo`). ===== Example Sentences ===== * **Example 1:** * 太热了，请把**风扇**打开。 * Pinyin: Tài rè le, qǐng bǎ **fēngshàn** dǎkāi. * English: It's too hot, please turn on the fan. * Analysis: A very common and practical request. The `把 (bǎ)` structure is used here to emphasize the action performed on the object (`风扇`). * **Example 2:** * 我家新买了一个**风扇**。 * Pinyin: Wǒ jiā xīn mǎi le yí ge **fēngshàn**. * English: My family just bought a new fan. * Analysis: A simple statement of a recent past action. `一个 (yí ge)` is the measure word for a fan. * **Example 3:** * 这个**风扇**的风力不够大。 * Pinyin: Zhè ge **fēngshàn** de fēnglì bú gòu dà. * English: This fan's wind power isn't strong enough. * Analysis: Shows how to describe the fan's performance. `风力 (fēnglì)` literally means "wind strength." * **Example 4:** * 晚上睡觉我喜欢开着**风扇**。 * Pinyin: Wǎnshang shuìjiào wǒ xǐhuān kāi zhe **fēngshàn**. * English: I like to have the fan on when I sleep at night. * Analysis: The particle `着 (zhe)` indicates a continuous state—the fan remains "on" while sleeping. * **Example 5:** * 跟空调比起来，**风扇**更省电。 * Pinyin: Gēn kōngtiáo bǐ qǐlái, **fēngshàn** gèng shěngdiàn. * English: Compared to an air conditioner, a fan is more energy-efficient. * Analysis: A great sentence for comparing two common household items. `跟...比起来 (gēn...bǐ qǐlái)` is a standard comparison structure. * **Example 6:** * 我的卧室里有一个吊扇，客厅里有一个落地**扇**。 * Pinyin: Wǒ de wòshì lǐ yǒu yí ge diàoshàn, kètīng lǐ yǒu yí ge luòdì**shàn**. * English: There is a ceiling fan in my bedroom, and a floor fan in the living room. * Analysis: This example introduces specific types of fans and shows how `扇 (shàn)` can be used as a shorthand in the second clause. * **Example 7:** * **风扇**坏了，我们得找人来修。 * Pinyin: **Fēngshàn** huài le, wǒmen děi zhǎo rén lái xiū. * English: The fan is broken, we have to find someone to fix it. * Analysis: `坏了 (huài le)` is the standard way to say something is broken or has stopped working. * **Example 8:** * 你能帮我把**风扇**调到最大档吗？ * Pinyin: Nǐ néng bāng wǒ bǎ **fēngshàn** tiáo dào zuì dà dǎng ma? * English: Can you help me turn the fan to the highest setting? * Analysis: `调 (tiáo)` means "to adjust," and `档 (dǎng)` means "gear" or "setting." This is very specific, practical vocabulary. * **Example 9:** * 不要让**风扇**对着头吹，容易感冒。 * Pinyin: Bú yào ràng **fēngshàn** duì zhe tóu chuī, róngyì gǎnmào. * English: Don't let the fan blow directly at your head, it's easy to catch a cold. * Analysis: This reflects a common belief in traditional Chinese health practices about "wind" causing illness. It's both a language and culture lesson. * **Example 10:** * 办公室里只有一台老旧的**风扇**在嘎吱作响。 * Pinyin: Bàngōngshì lǐ zhǐyǒu yì tái lǎojiù de **fēngshàn** zài gāzhī zuòxiǎng. * English: In the office, there was only one old fan creaking away. * Analysis: This sentence creates a vivid atmosphere using descriptive words like `老旧 (lǎojiù)` (old) and the onomatopoeia `嘎吱作响 (gāzhī zuòxiǎng)` (to creak/squeak). ===== Nuances and Common Mistakes ===== * **`风扇 (fēngshàn)` vs. `扇子 (shànzi)`:** This is the most crucial distinction for a beginner. * `风扇 (fēngshàn)` is ALWAYS an **electric fan**. It's a machine. * `扇子 (shànzi)` is a **hand-held, non-electric fan** (e.g., a paper or silk folding fan). * //Incorrect:// `天热了，我买了一个风扇扇风。` (This sounds like you bought an electric fan to wave around by hand.) * //Correct:// `天热了，我打开了**风扇**。` (It's hot, I turned on the electric fan.) * //Correct:// `天热了，我用**扇子**扇风。` (It's hot, I'm using a hand-fan to fan myself.) * **`扇` as a Noun vs. Verb:** The character `扇` has two different pronunciations and functions. * As a noun in `风扇 (fēng**shàn**)` it is pronounced with the 4th tone, **shàn**. * As a verb meaning "to fan" or "to flap," it is pronounced with the 1st tone, **shān**. The common action is `扇风 (shān fēng)` - "to fan wind." ===== Related Terms and Concepts ===== * [[空调]] (kōngtiáo) - Air conditioner. The modern, more powerful alternative to a `风扇`. * [[扇子]] (shànzi) - Hand-held fan. The traditional, manual predecessor. * [[电风扇]] (diànfēngshàn) - Electric fan. A more formal and explicit name for `风扇`. `电 (diàn)` means "electric." `风扇` is the common shortened form. * [[风]] (fēng) - Wind. The first character and the element the fan produces. * [[凉快]] (liángkuai) - Cool and pleasant. The feeling everyone wants from their `风扇`. * [[热]] (rè) - Hot. The reason you need a `风扇` in the first place. * [[电器]] (diànqì) - Electrical appliance. The general category that `风扇` belongs to. * [[吊扇]] (diàoshàn) - Ceiling fan. A specific type of fan. * [[打开]] (dǎkāi) - To open, to turn on. The verb used for starting a `风扇`. * [[关掉]] (guāndiào) - To turn off. The verb used for stopping a `风扇`.