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冕 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
冕miǎncrown; ceremonial capnrt, 11 strokes, radical 冂, rank #49724, Very Hard
冕miǎncrown in the form of a horizontal board with hanging decorationsunknown, 11 strokes, radical 冂, rank #49724, Very Hard
冕miǎnimperial crownunknown, 11 strokes, radical 冂, rank #49724, Very Hard
miǎn(mian3)mian T3
  1. 1crown; ceremonial cap
  2. 2crown in the form of a horizontal board with hanging decorations
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March 24, 2026

冕miǎn(mian3)

The character 冕 (miǎn) refers to a crown or ceremonial cap, particularly those used in formal or imperial settings. It often represents authority and is associated with traditional Chinese culture, especially in historical contexts involving emperors and nobility.

Strokes11Radical冂Frequency#49724DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note

In ancient China, the 冕 was not just a symbol of power but also used in important ceremonies, such as the coronation of emperors, reflecting the Confucian values of hierarchy and respect for authority.

Memory Tip

Imagine a majestic crown (冕) sitting on a throne, adorned with hanging decorations. The character itself has a roof-like structure at the top, suggesting a crown sitting above a head, while its pronunciation 'miǎn' sounds like 'meant' as in 'meant to rule'.

Meanings of 冕

miǎn(mian3)
1crown; ceremonial cap
2crown in the form of a horizontal board with hanging decorations
Exercise 1 of 2

By ear

Play it, then pick what 冕 means.

About 冕

冕Simplified
11Strokes
冂Radical
名词míngcínoun (n.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 冕

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Podcast: 冕

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AI Study Notes for 冕

Quick Contrast

冕 (miǎn) vs 帽 (mào) — choose 冕 for ceremonial or imperial significance, while 帽 refers to general hats.

Usage Notes

When using 冕, it is important to recognize that it is typically used in formal or literary contexts rather than everyday conversation. Common collocations include 冕旒 (miǎn liú, ceremonial cap with tassels) and 冕冕 (miǎn miǎn, a poetic way to refer to crowns).

HSK Study Tips

Although 冕 is not included in the HSK levels, it connects to other HSK vocabulary related to royalty and authority, such as 王 (wáng, king) and 皇帝 (huáng dì, emperor). Students should focus on recognizing its usage in historical texts.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 冕 with similar characters like 军 (jūn, army) due to visual similarities. Remember, 冕 specifically relates to crowns and ceremonial headgear.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 冕

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Etymology of 冕

Formation Typepictophonetic
六书 ClassificationPhono-semantic (形声字)~80-90% of characters
Explanation

Phonosemantic compound. 冃 represents the meaning and 免 represents the sound.

Memory Hint

crown

Semantic (meaning)冂
+
Phonetic (sound)免
Learn more about Phono-semantic (形声字) characters
Exercise 1 of 1

Origin

冕 = 冂 + 免. What kind of character does that make it?

Decomposition of 冕

IDS Structure⿱日免
冕Full Character
=
日Ri4
top
免mian3
bottom
Exercise 1 of 2

Parts

Which of these is part of 冕?

How to say crown; ceremonial cap in Chinese

“crown; ceremonial cap” in Chinese is冕miǎn

The character 冕 (miǎn) refers to a crown or ceremonial cap, particularly those used in formal or imperial settings. It often represents authority and is associated with traditional Chinese culture, especially in historical contexts involving emperors and nobility.

When to use 冕

When using 冕, it is important to recognize that it is typically used in formal or literary contexts rather than everyday conversation. Common collocations include 冕旒 (miǎn liú, ceremonial cap with tassels) and 冕冕 (miǎn miǎn, a poetic way to refer to crowns).

冕 or something close to it

冕 (miǎn) vs 帽 (mào) — choose 冕 for ceremonial or imperial significance, while 帽 refers to general hats.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 冕 with similar characters like 军 (jūn, army) due to visual similarities. Remember, 冕 specifically relates to crowns and ceremonial headgear.

Write 冕

冕

Practice writing 冕 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.

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Grammar Patterns of 冕

冕 carries 3 distinct meanings. Below you'll find the patterns that show how it combines with other words, plus example sentences pulled directly from native usage.

Exercise 1 of 5

Fill the gap

Type the missing word. Pinyin works; then pick the character.

这将是他19个月里的第8次卫____赛。

This will be his eighth title bout in 19 months.

Example Sentences for 冕 (4)

Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
这将是他19个月里的第8次卫冕赛。

zhè jiāng shì tā19 19 gè yuè lǐ de8 dì 8 cì wèi。

This will be his eighth title bout in 19 months.
2
伊丽莎白于1953年6月2日在威斯敏斯特大教堂加冕。

yī lì suō bái yú1953 19536 nián2 6 yuè 2 rì zài wēi sī mǐn sī tè dà jiào。

Elizabeth was crowned in Westminster Abbey on 2 June
3
加雷·卡斯帕罗夫卫冕了他国际象棋世界冠军的称号。

jiā léi· · kǎ sī pà luó fū wèi miǎn le tā guó jì xiàng qí shì jiè guān jūn de chēng。

Gary Kasparov has retained his title as world chess champion.
4
瞧, 新国王加冕了.

qiáo, , xīn guó wáng jiā miǎn.

Behold, the new king is crowned.

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Word Family of 冕

Words Containing This Character9
卫冕to defend the crown (in sports championship)衛冕
加冕to crown
冠冕堂皇high-sounding
冕miǎnimperial crown
冠冕royal crown
日冕corona
冕宁Mianning county in Liangshan Yi autonomous prefecture 涼山彞族自治州|凉山彝族自治州[Liáng​shān​Yí​zú​zì​zhì​zhōu], south Sichuan冕寧
冕宁县Mianning county in Liangshan Yi autonomous prefecture 涼山彞族自治州|凉山彝族自治州[Liáng​shān​Yí​zú​zì​zhì​zhōu], south Sichuan冕寧縣
北冕座Corona Borealis (constellation)
Exercise 1 of 4

Words with 冕

What does 卫冕 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 冕

It is pronounced as 'miǎn'.

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