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琨 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
琨kūnbeautiful jade, precious stonesg, 12 strokes, radical 王
琨kūn(jade)unknown, 12 strokes, radical 王
kūn(kun1)kun T1
  1. 1beautiful jade, precious stones
  2. 2(jade)
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March 24, 2026

琨kūn(kun1)

琨 (kūn) refers to a type of beautiful jade or precious stones, particularly those that are highly valued for their quality and appearance. This character is often used in contexts related to jewelry, art, and cultural significance in Chinese society, where jade is considered a symbol of virtue and beauty.

Strokes12Radical王
Cultural note

In Chinese culture, jade has deep historical significance, often symbolizing purity, moral integrity, and social status. The appreciation of jade, including琨, reflects traditional values and is an important aspect of Chinese heritage.

Memory tip

Imagine a beautiful piece of jade shaped like a stunning mountain peak (the radical '王' means 'king' and often represents things of high value). The pronunciation 'kūn' sounds like 'crown,' connecting the idea of preciousness and beauty associated with jade to the image of a king's crown adorned with jewels.

Meanings of 琨

kūn(kun1)
1beautiful jade, precious stones
2(jade)
Exercise 1 of 2

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About 琨

琨Simplified
12Strokes
王Radical
语素morpheme (morph.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

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Podcast: 琨

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AI Study Notes for 琨

Usage Notes

琨 is a formal term and less commonly used in everyday conversation. It is often found in literary contexts or discussions about art and culture. Be careful with pronunciation; the first tone (kūn) must be distinguished from others to avoid confusion with different meanings.

HSK Study Tips

Though琨 is not part of the HSK vocabulary, it is a good example of the theme of jade, which is covered in lower HSK levels. Students should focus on the cultural significance of jade while studying this character, connecting it to terms like 玉 (yù), which means jade in general.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse琨 with other jade-related terms like 玉 (yù) or 翡翠 (fěicuì), which can lead to incorrect usage. For instance, saying '我喜欢琨' (wǒ xǐhuān kūn) when referring to jade in general is incorrect; instead, use '我喜欢玉' (wǒ xǐhuān yù).

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 琨

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Etymology of 琨

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

jade

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

Origin

琨 = 王 + 昆. What kind of character does that make it?

Decomposition of 琨

IDS Structure⿰王昆
琨Full character
=
王Wang2
left
昆kun1
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Parts

Which of these is part of 琨?

How to say beautiful jade, precious stones in Chinese

“beautiful jade, precious stones” in Chinese is琨kūn

琨 (kūn) refers to a type of beautiful jade or precious stones, particularly those that are highly valued for their quality and appearance. This character is often used in contexts related to jewelry, art, and cultural significance in Chinese society, where jade is considered a symbol of virtue and beauty.

When to use 琨

琨 is a formal term and less commonly used in everyday conversation. It is often found in literary contexts or discussions about art and culture. Be careful with pronunciation; the first tone (kūn) must be distinguished from others to avoid confusion with different meanings.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse琨 with other jade-related terms like 玉 (yù) or 翡翠 (fěicuì), which can lead to incorrect usage. For instance, saying '我喜欢琨' (wǒ xǐhuān kūn) when referring to jade in general is incorrect; instead, use '我喜欢玉' (wǒ xǐhuān yù).

Write 琨

琨

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

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Word Family of 琨

Words containing this character1
琨kūn(jade)

Frequently Asked Questions about 琨

Jade is highly revered in Chinese culture, often seen as a symbol of virtue, beauty, and nobility.

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