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殞 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
殞yǔnto die, to fall, to perish, to vanishx, 14 strokes, radical 歹
yǔn(yun3) T3
  1. 1to die, to fall, to perish, to vanish
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

殞yǔn(yun3)

The character 殞 (yǔn) signifies the act of dying or perishing, often used in literary or formal contexts. It conveys a sense of a tragic or untimely death, and is not commonly used in everyday conversation, making it more appropriate for writing or discussions of serious topics.

Strokes14Radical歹
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, discussions of death are often approached with gravity and respect, and the character 殞 reflects this seriousness. It may appear in historical texts discussing the deaths of notable figures, emphasizing the weight of loss.

Memory Tip

Imagine a fallen leaf (the radical 殳, representing something that falls) lying on the ground, symbolizing death. The pronunciation 'yǔn' sounds like 'yawn,' which can remind you of the finality of a yawn when one passes away.

Meanings of 殞

yǔn(yun3)
1to die, to fall, to perish, to vanish
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 殞

殞Simplified
14Strokes
歹Radical
非语素字non-morpheme character (n-m.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 殞

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Podcast: 殞

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AI Study Notes for 殞

Usage Notes

殞 is rarely used in casual speech, so it's important to use it in appropriate contexts, such as literature or formal writing. Common mistakes include confusing it with more commonly used terms for death, like 死 (sǐ). It's often paired with words like 'soul' or 'spirit' in literary contexts.

HSK Study Tips

Although not present in HSK vocabulary lists, understanding 殞 can enhance your grasp of literary texts and poetry. Students should focus on its formal usage and recognize it as part of phrases that deal with loss or death.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 殞 with the more common 死 (sǐ), using it inappropriately in casual settings. For example, saying '我殞了' (wǒ yǔn le) instead of '我死了' (wǒ sǐ le) would sound overly dramatic in everyday conversation.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 殞

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Etymology of 殞

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

Phonosemantic compound. 歹 represents the meaning and 员 represents the sound. Simplified form of 殞.

Memory Hint

death

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

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 殞

Phonosemantic compound. 歹 represents the meaning and 员 represents the sound. Simplified form of 殞.

  1. 1The meaning half歹 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half員 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
  3. 3The giveawaydeath
  4. 4On the record aspictophonetic.

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

Want the full history of 殞? 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 殞?

Decomposition of 殞

IDS Structure⿰歹員
殞Full Character
=
歹dai3
left
員yuan2
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 殞?

How to say to die, to fall, to perish, to vanish in Chinese

“to die, to fall, to perish, to vanish” in Chinese is殞yǔn

The character 殞 (yǔn) signifies the act of dying or perishing, often used in literary or formal contexts. It conveys a sense of a tragic or untimely death, and is not commonly used in everyday conversation, making it more appropriate for writing or discussions of serious topics.

When to use 殞

殞 is rarely used in casual speech, so it's important to use it in appropriate contexts, such as literature or formal writing. Common mistakes include confusing it with more commonly used terms for death, like 死 (sǐ). It's often paired with words like 'soul' or 'spirit' in literary contexts.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 殞 with the more common 死 (sǐ), using it inappropriately in casual settings. For example, saying '我殞了' (wǒ yǔn le) instead of '我死了' (wǒ sǐ le) would sound overly dramatic in everyday conversation.

Write 殞

殞

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

Write correctly 3 times to earn XP

Word Family of 殞

Words Containing This Character2
殒命to die殞命
殒yǔnto die殞
Exercise 1 of 2

Compound Meaning

What does 殒命 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 殞

No, it is primarily used in formal or literary contexts.

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