但 (dàn) is a Chinese character meaning “but”. It is written from 亻 (person (the form 人 takes on the left)) and 旦 (daybreak; dawn (the sun 日 above the horizon line 一)), side by side, and takes 7 strokes.
Build the character for “but”
Four steps: break it apart, build it, recall it, use it in a word.
StartLearn this character
Structure
亻 + 旦
Left–right structure
- 亻 person (the form 人 takes on the left) · rén meaning
- 旦 daybreak; dawn (the sun 日 above the horizon line 一) · dàn sound
Structure from: 说文解字: 但，裼也。从人旦聲（现代字形拆分 IDS ⿰亻旦；笔画核验 亻2 + 旦5 = 7）
Memory aid
A person (亻) standing at daybreak (旦): the sun is already up — but they still have not set off.
This is a memory aid, not the historical origin.
Stroke order
7 strokes
In real words
- 但是dàn shìbut; however但 = dàn
- 不但bú dànnot only (… but also)但 = dàn
Go deeper
All readings
but
but; however; yet; only; merely
表示转折，相当于「可是」；也表示「只、仅仅」。 — studyhanzi 编写
Words with this reading
- 但是dàn shìbut; however但 = dàn
- 不但bú dànnot only (… but also)但 = dàn
Sound component
旦 family exact
Stroke data: hanzi-writer-data (Arphic Public License) · licenses & attributions
Questions people ask about this character
What does 但 mean?
但 (dàn) means but; however; yet; only; merely.
How do you pronounce 但?
It is pronounced dàn.
What parts is 但 made of?
亻 (person (the form 人 takes on the left)) and 旦 (daybreak; dawn (the sun 日 above the horizon line 一)), side by side. The recorded source is: 说文解字: 但，裼也。从人旦聲（现代字形拆分 IDS ⿰亻旦；笔画核验 亻2 + 旦5 = 7）. Components are the building blocks of the shape; the radical used for dictionary lookup is a separate thing.
How many strokes does 但 have?
7. You can watch the stroke order on this page, or trace it yourself.
What is the radical of 但?
亻. The radical is how the character is filed in a dictionary — it is not the whole story of how the character is built.
What words use 但?
Common ones are 但是 and 不但. The reading of 但 is not the same in every word, so each word on this page shows which reading applies.