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汾 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
汾féna river in Shanxi provincens, 7 strokes, radical 氵
汾fénname of a riverunknown, 7 strokes, radical 氵
fén(fen2) T2
  1. 1a river in Shanxi province
  2. 2name of a river
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

汾fén(fen2)

汾 (fén) refers specifically to the Fen River, which is located in Shanxi province, China. It is significant in both geographical and cultural contexts as it flows through an area rich in history and natural beauty. The river is often mentioned in literary works and is a symbol of the region.

Strokes7Radical氵
Cultural Note

The Fen River has played a vital role in the development of Shanxi province, influencing local agriculture and trade throughout history. It is often celebrated in poetry and is an important cultural landmark for the region's inhabitants.

Memory Tip

Think of the character 汾 (fén) as depicting water (水) flowing through the land (土). Imagine the Fen River, which carries stories and historical events along its banks, helping you to remember 'fén' as the river's name.

Meanings of 汾

fén(fen2)
1a river in Shanxi province
2name of a river
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 汾

汾Simplified
7Strokes
氵Radical
地名míngcíplace name (p.n.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 汾

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Podcast: 汾

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AI Study Notes for 汾

Usage Notes

汾 is typically used in formal contexts, such as geographical discussions or historical texts. Common collocations include 汾河 (Fen River) and phrases related to the river's significance. Be careful with the tone; 'fén' has a rising tone that can be confused with other similar-sounding words.

HSK Study Tips

While 汾 is not included in the HSK vocabulary lists, it connects to geographical terms that are essential for higher-level learners. Pay attention to context clues when reading texts that mention rivers or locations in China.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 汾 with similar-sounding characters, leading to incorrect usage in sentences. For example, using '分' (fēn) instead of '汾' when discussing the river would be incorrect; always remember 'fén' for the Fen River.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 汾

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Etymology of 汾

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

Phonosemantic compound. 氵 represents the meaning and 分 represents the sound.

Memory Hint

water

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

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 汾

Phonosemantic compound. 氵 represents the meaning and 分 represents the sound.

  1. 1The meaning half氵 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half分 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
  3. 3The giveawaywater
  4. 4On the record aspictophonetic.

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

Want the full history of 汾? 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 汾?

Decomposition of 汾

IDS Structure⿰氵分
汾Full Character
=
氵shui3
left
分fen1
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 汾?

How to say a river in Shanxi province in Chinese

“a river in Shanxi province” in Chinese is汾fén

汾 (fén) refers specifically to the Fen River, which is located in Shanxi province, China. It is significant in both geographical and cultural contexts as it flows through an area rich in history and natural beauty. The river is often mentioned in literary works and is a symbol of the region.

When to use 汾

汾 is typically used in formal contexts, such as geographical discussions or historical texts. Common collocations include 汾河 (Fen River) and phrases related to the river's significance. Be careful with the tone; 'fén' has a rising tone that can be confused with other similar-sounding words.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 汾 with similar-sounding characters, leading to incorrect usage in sentences. For example, using '分' (fēn) instead of '汾' when discussing the river would be incorrect; always remember 'fén' for the Fen River.

Write 汾

汾

Practice writing 汾 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 汾

Words Containing This Character12
汾fénname of a river
临汾Linfen prefecture-level city in Shanxi 山西臨汾
临汾市Linfen prefecture-level city in Shanxi 山西臨汾市
汾酒Fenjiu (sorghum-based Chinese liquor)
汾河Fen River
汾阳Fenyang county level city in Lüliang 呂梁|吕梁[Lǚ​liáng], Shanxi 山西汾陽
襄汾县Xiangfen county in Linfen 臨汾|临汾[Lín​fén], Shanxi襄汾縣
汾阳市Fenyang county level city in Lüliang 呂梁|吕梁[Lǚ​liáng], Shanxi 山西汾陽市
汾西县Fengxi county in Linfen 臨汾|临汾[Lín​fén], Shanxi汾西縣
汾西Fengxi county in Linfen 臨汾|临汾[Lín​fén], Shanxi
襄汾Xiangfen county in Linfen 臨汾|临汾[Lín​fén], Shanxi
临汾地区Linfen prefecture in Shanxi臨汾地區
Exercise 1 of 4

Compound Meaning

What does 汾 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 汾

汾 refers to the Fen River in Shanxi province, a significant geographical feature.

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