# shan

> English word · Adjective · frequency rank #21,061

## Definitions
1. unfair, harsh
2. poor, low-quality

## Etymology
Origin obscure. Perhaps from shand (“worthless”). Alternatively, perhaps of Romani origin.

## Easily confused with
- **she** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/shan-vs-she)
- **son** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/shan-vs-son)
- **sun** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/shan-vs-sun)
- **sin** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/shan-vs-sin)
- **shy** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/shan-vs-shy)
- **spa** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/shan-vs-spa)
- **shi** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/shan-vs-shi)
- **STA** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/shan-vs-sta)
- **sho** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/shan-vs-sho)
- **sia** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/shan-vs-sia)
- **ska** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/shan-vs-ska)
- **syn** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/shan-vs-syn)
- **shh** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/shan-vs-shh)
- **SMA** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/shan-vs-sma)
- **SoA** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/shan-vs-soa)
- **SSA** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/shan-vs-ssa)
- **SLA** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/shan-vs-sla)
- **SSN** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/shan-vs-ssn)
- **SNA** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/shan-vs-sna)
- **show** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/shan-vs-show)

## Common misspellings (6)
`hsan`, `sahn`, `shann`, `shhan`, `shna`, `sshan`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/shan