han

Everyday

1. (a name) The Han dynasty was a family of emperors who ruled China for about four hundred years, a famous golden age of Chinese history. tree →
2. (a name) The Han Chinese are the largest ethnic group in China and in the world, named after the Han dynasty. tree →
3. (Mandarin, pinyin) «hàn» is a Chinese syllable used in words like «Hànzì» (Chinese characters) and «Hànyǔ» (the Chinese language); it sounds like «hahn». tree →
4. (a name) Han is also a Korean family name, a river in Korea (the Han River in Seoul), and a first name, as in Han Solo from «Star Wars». tree →
5. (old) A han was an inn for travellers in Turkey and the Middle East. tree →

In the lessons

In history lessons about ancient China, the Han dynasty made paper, built parts of the Great Wall, started the Silk Road trade with the West and gave its name to the Chinese people and Chinese writing. In Mandarin lessons pupils meet «Hànzì» for Chinese characters. Phrases: the Han dynasty, Han Chinese, Han characters.

Examples

• Paper was invented in China during the Han dynasty. tree →
• The Silk Road grew busy in the time of the Han. tree →
• Most people in China are Han Chinese. tree →
• Chinese characters are called «Hànzì» in Mandarin. tree →
• Han emperors sent explorers far to the west. tree →
• Han Solo flies the Millennium Falcon in «Star Wars». tree →
• The Han River flows through Seoul in South Korea. tree →
• We made a timeline of Chinese dynasties, from the Qin to the Han and beyond. tree →
• “Han, my son!” answered the woman, taking the bowl. tree →

Note

A name, so it takes a capital H: Han. Not an ordinary English word. In pinyin, tone marks may be added (hàn); the Mandarin «a» sounds like the «a» in «father». The Han dynasty came right after the Qin dynasty, which first united China.