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March 24, 2026
健jiàn(jian4)
The character 健 (jiàn) primarily means 'healthy' or 'strong.' It is commonly used in contexts related to physical health, fitness, and well-being. Additionally, it can imply being good at something or possessing strength, both physically and metaphorically.
Strokes10Radical亻Frequency#5019DifficultyHard
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, the concept of health is deeply valued, often reflected in traditional practices such as Tai Chi and herbal medicine. The character 健 is frequently seen in slogans promoting health and wellness, especially during New Year celebrations when people wish for good health.
Memory Tip
Imagine a strong person lifting weights in a gym, embodying the essence of 健. The character has the radical 健 (jiàn) that looks like a person (亻) standing tall and strong, symbolizing health and vigor.
Meanings of 健
jiàn(jian4)
1healthy
2to invigorate
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About 健
健Simplified
10Strokes
亻Radical
形容词xíngróngcíadjective (adj.)Part of Speech
#5019Frequency Rank
HSK 3.0L2
Podcast: 健
Podcast: 健
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AI Study Notes for 健
Quick Contrast
健 (jiàn) vs 强 (qiáng) — use 健 for health-related contexts, while 强 emphasizes strength or power.
Memory Mnemonic
Imagine a strong person lifting weights in a gym, embodying the essence of 健. The character has the radical 健 (jiàn) that looks like a person (亻) standing tall and strong, symbolizing health and vigor.
Usage Notes
Learners often confuse 健 with other similar-sounding characters. It's important to remember that 健 specifically relates to health and strength, whereas other characters may focus on different aspects. Common collocations include 健康 (jiànkāng) meaning 'health' and 健身 (jiànshēn) meaning 'fitness.'
HSK Study Tips
While 健 is not included in the HSK vocabulary lists, it is a useful addition to the vocabulary of students at the HSK 3 level and above. Students should focus on its use in phrases related to health and fitness, enhancing their understanding of wellness-related discussions.
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, the concept of health is deeply valued, often reflected in traditional practices such as Tai Chi and herbal medicine. The character 健 is frequently seen in slogans promoting health and wellness, especially during New Year celebrations when people wish for good health.
Common Mistakes
Learners sometimes mistakenly use 健 in contexts that do not relate to health or strength, like using it in place of 'good' or 'well' which would be better served by 好 (hǎo). An example is saying '他健' (Tā jiàn) instead of '他好' (Tā hǎo) to mean 'He is good.'
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 健
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Grammar Patterns of 健
健 functions as an adjective. In Chinese it behaves like a stative verb: place it directly after the subject without 是 (我很高，not 我是高). Use 不 to negate (不高) and pair it with 很 in plain affirmative sentences. It carries 6 related meanings, each with its own usage notes below. The example sentences below show it in action, with practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) on every line.
This movement lengthens your spine and tones the spinal nerves.
4
一杯红酒有益健康。
yī bēi hóng jiǔ yǒu yì jiàn kāng。
A glass of red wine keeps you in the pink.
5
健美——挺有男子气概的，不是吗？
jiàn měi—— —— tǐng yǒu nán zǐ qì gài， de ， bù？
Body building — that's a bit macho, isn't it?
6
跳绳是最有乐趣的有氧健身运动之一。
tiào shéng shì zuì yǒu lè qù de yǒu yǎng jiàn shēn yùn dòng zhī yī。
Skipping is one of the most enjoyable aerobic activities.
7
分娩过程最终非常顺利，生了个健康的男婴。
fēn miǎn guò chéng zuì zhōng fēi cháng shùn lì， ， shēng le gè jiàn kāng de nán。
In the end, it was an easy delivery: a fine baby boy.
8
他不太像是个健谈的人。
tā bù tài xiàng shì gè jiàn tán de rén。
He hadn't seemed much of a conversa-tionalist.
9
他们的身体发育得很好，非常健壮。
tā mén de shēn tǐ fā yù dé hěn hǎo， ， fēi cháng jiàn。
Their bodies were well-developed and super fit.
10
有健康而无财富比有财富而无健康更好.
yǒu jiàn kāng ér wú cái fù bǐ yǒu cái fù ér wú jiàn kāng gēng hǎo.
Health without riches is preferable to riches without health.
Cultural Notes for 健
💡Did you know?
In traditional Chinese culture, health is often associated with balance and harmony. The concept of '养生' (yang sheng) emphasizes nurturing life through diet, exercise, and mental well-being.
🏮Cultural insight
In Chinese culture, the concept of health is deeply valued, often reflected in traditional practices such as Tai Chi and herbal medicine. The character 健 is frequently seen in slogans promoting health and wellness, especially during New Year celebrations when people wish for good health.
Word Family of 健
Words Containing This Character19
健康jiànkānghealth
健jiànhealthy
健身jiànshēnto exercise
健全jiànquánrobust
保健bǎojiànhealth care
健身房gym
稳健wěnjiànfirm穩健
健忘forgetful
健壮jiànzhuàngrobust健壯
健美jiànměihealthy and beautiful
强健sturdy強健
健谈entertaining in conversation健談
矫健vigorous矯健
健美操aerobics
复健rehabilitation復健
健儿top athlete健兒
崔健Cui Jian (1961-), father of Chinese rock music
保健操health exercises
健硕well-built (physique)健碩
Exercise 1 of 4
Compound Meaning
What does 健康 mean?
Frequently Asked Questions about 健
Yes, 健 is commonly used in expressions such as '健身' (jiànshēn), which means 'fitness' or 'working out,' and '健康' (jiànkāng), meaning 'health.' These expressions are widely used in conversations about health and wellness.
健 can mean 'healthy,' 'to invigorate,' or 'to strengthen.' Additionally, it can refer to being good at or strong in a particular area, often relating to physical strength or health-related topics.
健 (jiàn) means 'healthy' or 'strong.' It can also imply the action of invigorating or strengthening something. This character is often used in contexts related to health and physical fitness.
You can use 健 in a sentence like: '他非常健壮' (Tā fēicháng jiànzhuàng), which means 'He is very strong.' It can also be used in phrases like '健康饮食' (jiànkāng yǐnshí), meaning 'healthy diet.'
You can say '我每天锻炼以保持健康' (Wǒ měitiān duànliàn yǐ bǎochí jiànkāng), meaning 'I exercise every day to stay healthy.'
Yes, 健 is suitable for both formal and informal contexts, especially when discussing health-related topics.
Common phrases include 健康 (jiànkāng) for 'health' and 健身 (jiànshēn) for 'fitness.'
