All meanings
- soft
- mushy
- well-cooked and soft
- to rot
- to decompose
- rotten
- worn out
- chaotic
- messy
- utterly
- thoroughly
- crappy
- bad
In context
Example sentences
这些水果放太久已经烂了。
Zhèxiē shuǐguǒ fàng tài jiǔ yǐjīng làn le.
These fruits have been left too long and have gone bad.
Keep going
Related words
Words with 烂
HSK levels
烂: HSK 5 on the old exam, HSK 6 on the new one. See where your old level lands
New exam levels follow the CLEC syllabus released 15 November 2025. The first official sitting of the new exam is announced for 13 December 2026, for HSK 1 to 6. HSK 7-9 is one advanced band.
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Frequently Asked Questions
烂 (làn) means "soft; mushy; well-cooked and soft; to rot; to decompose; rotten; worn out; chaotic; messy; utterly; thoroughly; crappy; bad" in Chinese. The new HSK exam tests it at HSK 6.
烂 is pronounced "làn" in Mandarin Chinese. The tone number is 4.
烂 is an HSK 6 word on the new HSK exam syllabus. It is HSK 5 on the old exam, HSK 6 on the new one.
Common words with 烂 include 灿烂 (to glitter), 唬烂 ((slang) (Tw) to bullshit), 捣烂 (to mash), 撕烂 (to tear up), 撞烂 (to destroy by smashing).
You can practice writing 烂 using our stroke order tool.
Reviewed by RJ Murray, Founder, HSK Lord.