noun Uncommon

shan

shahn

Shan (noun) means a member of an ethnic group of around six million people living mainly in Myanmar's Shan State, with communities also in China, Thailand, Cambodia, and Vietnam. Example: “The festival celebrated traditional Shan dress and dance.”

noun

A member of an ethnic group of around six million people living mainly in Myanmar's Shan State, with communities also in China, Thailand, Cambodia, and Vietnam.

"The festival celebrated traditional Shan dress and dance."

name

The Tai-Kadai language spoken by the Shan people.

"She grew up speaking Shan at home and Burmese at school."

adj

Poor in quality, or unfair and harsh — a dated, informal use.

"He complained that the referee's decision was shan."

How to use shan

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishMost often refers to the Shan people of Myanmar and their language; the "unfair/poor-quality" adjective sense is rare and dated.

Word forms

more shan comparative, Shans plural, Shan plural, most shan superlative

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Fill the gap

Can you complete this real example?

The festival celebrated traditional _____ dress and dance.

Etymology

Origin uncertain; the adjective sense may derive from "shand" ("worthless"), possibly via Romani.

Rhymes for shan

han chan than khan Phan Zhan

See all rhymes for shan →

Frequently asked questions

What does “shan” mean?

The word “shan” means a member of an ethnic group of around six million people living mainly in Myanmar's Shan State, with communities also in China, Thailand, Cambodia, and Vietnam. In plain terms, most often refers to the Shan people of Myanmar and their language; the "unfair/poor-quality" adjective sense is rare and dated.

How do you pronounce “shan”?

“Shan” is pronounced shahn (/ʃɑn/ in IPA).

How do you use “shan” in a sentence?

Here is “shan” used in a sentence: “The festival celebrated traditional Shan dress and dance.”

What part of speech is “shan”?

Depending on how it is used, “shan” can be a noun, a name and an adjective.

Is “shan” a common word?

“Shan” is an uncommon word in modern English.

How many meanings does “shan” have?

“Shan” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a member of an ethnic group of around six million people living mainly in Myanmar's Shan State, with communities also in China, Thailand, Cambodia, and Vietnam.