Meanings of 吮
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About 吮
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Podcast: 吮
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AI Study Notes for 吮
吮 (shǔn) vs 吸 (xī) — use 吮 for gentle sucking or sipping, while 吸 is for more forceful inhaling or sucking.
Be cautious with the tone when pronouncing 吮, as it is pronounced with a falling tone (shǔn). This word is informal and is often used in casual conversation rather than formal writing. Common collocations include 吮吸 (shǔn xī) meaning 'to suck' and 吮指 (shǔn zhǐ) meaning 'to lick fingers'.
Although 吮 is not included in the HSK levels, it connects with basic vocabulary related to eating and drinking. Students should focus on pronunciation and the context in which this verb can be used, as it enhances descriptive language skills.
Learners often confuse 吮 with 吸 (xī), which means 'to inhale' or 'to suck' more generally. For example, saying 吸糖 (xī táng) instead of 吮糖 (shǔn táng) for 'sucking candy' is incorrect; the correct term emphasizes the action of sucking rather than inhaling.
Pronunciation of 吮
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Jason Explains 吮 to You
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Learning Lab
Knowing 吮 is seven skills, not one.
Its meaning, its character, its pinyin, its tone — hearing it, saying it, writing it. The Learning Lab measures each one from your own practice, on every word you study, so you see what you actually know rather than how much you have done.
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Etymology of 吮
Phonosemantic compound. 口 represents the meaning and 允 represents the sound.
mouth
Origin
吮 = 口 + 允. What kind of character does that make it?
Decomposition of 吮
Parts
Which of these is part of 吮?
How to say to suck, to sip, to lick in Chinese
“to suck, to sip, to lick” in Chinese is吮
The character 吮 (shǔn) means to suck, sip, or lick. It is commonly used in contexts related to eating or drinking, such as sucking on candy or sipping a drink. The term carries a nuance of drawing liquid or flavor into the mouth, often in a gentle or pleasurable manner.
When to use 吮
Be cautious with the tone when pronouncing 吮, as it is pronounced with a falling tone (shǔn). This word is informal and is often used in casual conversation rather than formal writing. Common collocations include 吮吸 (shǔn xī) meaning 'to suck' and 吮指 (shǔn zhǐ) meaning 'to lick fingers'.
吮 or something close to it
吮 (shǔn) vs 吸 (xī) — use 吮 for gentle sucking or sipping, while 吸 is for more forceful inhaling or sucking.
What learners get wrong
Learners often confuse 吮 with 吸 (xī), which means 'to inhale' or 'to suck' more generally. For example, saying 吸糖 (xī táng) instead of 吮糖 (shǔn táng) for 'sucking candy' is incorrect; the correct term emphasizes the action of sucking rather than inhaling.
Write 吮
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Practice writing 吮 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
Grammar Patterns of 吮
吮 functions as a verb — the action or state of the sentence. The Chinese order is Subject + Verb + Object (我吃饭). Negate it with 不 (habitual / future) or 没(有) (completed action). Add aspect markers like 了, 过, 着 directly after the verb. The example sentences below show it in action, with practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) on every line.
Fill the gap
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婴儿____吸时，会有更多的奶水流出来。
As the baby suckles, a further supply of milk is generated.
Example Sentences for 吮 (4)
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Word Family of 吮
Words with 吮
What does 吸吮 mean?
Frequently Asked Questions about 吮
The correct pronunciation is shǔn, with a falling tone.
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