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扃 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
扃jiōngdoor latch, crossbarzg, 9 strokes, radical 户
扃jiōng(literary) to shut or bolt a doorunknown, 9 strokes, radical 户
扃jiōngdoorunknown, 9 strokes, radical 户
jiōng(jiong1) T1
  1. 1door latch, crossbar
  2. 2(literary) to shut or bolt a door
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

扃jiōng(jiong1)

The character 扃 (jiōng) refers to a door latch or crossbar, primarily used to secure a door. In literary contexts, it also means to shut or bolt a door, emphasizing the action of securing an entryway, often with a sense of finality or protection.

Strokes9Radical户
Cultural Note

In traditional Chinese architecture, doors often symbolize entry into another realm, and securing them with a latch like 扃 reflects cultural values of protection and privacy. This is especially significant during festivals or family gatherings when homes are secured.

Memory Tip

Imagine a sturdy latch (扃) holding a heavy door closed. The left part of the character, 扌, is like a hand grasping the latch, while the right part, 京, reminds you of a 'key' that symbolizes security. Together, they create a vivid image of securing a door, reinforcing both the meaning and pronunciation.

Meanings of 扃

jiōng(jiong1)
1door latch, crossbar
2(literary) to shut or bolt a door
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 扃

扃Simplified
9Strokes
户Radical
状态词stative word (stat.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 扃

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Podcast: 扃

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AI Study Notes for 扃

Usage Notes

扃 is more commonly found in literary or formal texts rather than in everyday conversation. Be cautious not to confuse it with related terms like 门 (mén), which means 'door' without the locking aspect. Always use the correct tone, as mispronouncing jiōng can lead to misunderstandings.

HSK Study Tips

This character is not part of the official HSK levels but can be useful for learners interested in classical literature or specific architectural vocabulary. Focus on recognizing its structure and relation to other door-related terms like 门 (mén) and 闭 (bì).

Common Mistakes

Learners may mistakenly use 扃 interchangeably with 门 (mén) when they actually refer to different aspects of a door. For example, saying '我关门' (wǒ guān mén) instead of '我锁扃' (wǒ suǒ jiōng) when referring to locking the door can lead to confusion.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 扃

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Etymology of 扃

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

door

Semantic (meaning)户
+
Phonetic (sound)冋
Learn more about Phono-semantic (形声字) characters

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 扃

  1. 1The meaning half户 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half冋 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
  3. 3The giveawaydoor
  4. 4On the record aspictophonetic.

Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.

Want the full history of 扃? Jason searches the paleographic record, weighs the competing accounts and judges the popular story.

Charged once for this character — everyone reads it afterwards.
Exercise 1 of 1

Character Formation Type

What type of character formation is 扃?

Decomposition of 扃

IDS Structure⿸户冋
扃Full Character
=
户hu4
enclosing
冋jiong1
inner
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 扃?

How to say door latch, crossbar in Chinese

“door latch, crossbar” in Chinese is扃jiōng

The character 扃 (jiōng) refers to a door latch or crossbar, primarily used to secure a door. In literary contexts, it also means to shut or bolt a door, emphasizing the action of securing an entryway, often with a sense of finality or protection.

When to use 扃

扃 is more commonly found in literary or formal texts rather than in everyday conversation. Be cautious not to confuse it with related terms like 门 (mén), which means 'door' without the locking aspect. Always use the correct tone, as mispronouncing jiōng can lead to misunderstandings.

What learners get wrong

Learners may mistakenly use 扃 interchangeably with 门 (mén) when they actually refer to different aspects of a door. For example, saying '我关门' (wǒ guān mén) instead of '我锁扃' (wǒ suǒ jiōng) when referring to locking the door can lead to confusion.

Write 扃

扃

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

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Word Family of 扃

Words Containing This Character1
扃jiōngdoor
Exercise 1 of 1

Compound Meaning

What does 扃 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 扃

No, 扃 is more often found in formal or literary contexts than in everyday speech.

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