to wink, to blink; an instant, the blink of an eye
t, 17 strokes, radical 目, rank #28725, Very Hard
shùn(shun4) T4
1to wink
2to wink, to blink; an instant, the blink of an eye
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026
瞬shùn(shun4)
The character 瞬 (shùn) primarily means 'to wink' or 'to blink,' signifying a very brief moment in time, similar to 'an instant.' It is often used in contexts that emphasize the fleeting nature of time or events, making it relevant in both literary and conversational Chinese.
Strokes17Radical目Frequency#28725DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, the concept of time is often viewed as fluid and transient, which aligns with the meaning of 瞬. This character can also be found in literary expressions and poetry that reflect the ephemeral nature of life and moments.
Memory Tip
Imagine a quick wink that happens in the blink of an eye—this is 瞬 (shùn). The character features the eye radical (目), emphasizing its connection to sight and the rapidity of winking, much like how quickly one can say 'shun' when they want to convey something swiftly.
Meanings of 瞬
shùn(shun4)
1to wink
2to wink, to blink; an instant, the blink of an eye
Exercise 1 of 2
Listen & Choose the Meaning
Choose the correct answer:
About 瞬
瞬Simplified
17Strokes
目Radical
时间词time word (t.)Part of Speech
#28725Frequency Rank
Podcast: 瞬
Podcast: 瞬
Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you
New here?
AI Study Notes for 瞬
Quick Contrast
瞬 (shùn) vs 霎 (shā) — use 瞬 for a general sense of a brief moment, while 霎 specifically refers to a very short, sudden period, often used in poetic contexts.
Usage Notes
Be careful not to confuse 瞬 with similar-sounding words like 顺 (shùn), which means 'smooth' or 'to follow.' This word is typically used in informal contexts when referring to a blink or a very short period, so it may not be suitable for formal writing. Common collocations include 瞬间 (shùnjiān) meaning 'instant' or 'moment.'
HSK Study Tips
Although 瞬 is not part of the HSK vocabulary list, it aids learners in understanding more complex concepts of time and perception that are common in intermediate-level texts. Students should focus on recognizing its use in descriptive contexts related to time.
Common Mistakes
Learners often confuse 瞬 with 瞑 (míng), which means 'to close the eyes' or 'to meditate,' leading to incorrect usage. For example, saying '我瞬眼' (Wǒ shùn yǎn) instead of '我眨眼' (Wǒ zhǎ yǎn) meaning 'I blink' is incorrect; the correct character for blink is 眨 (zhǎ).
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 瞬
Premium — Locked
AI tone practice
Pro
Drill the tone of 瞬 with AI-powered exercises, get instant feedback, and earn XP toward mastery. Interactive tone practice is part of Pro.
2The sound half舜 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
3The giveawayeye
4On the record aspictophonetic.
Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.
Want the full history of 瞬? 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 瞬?
Decomposition of 瞬
IDS Structure⿰目舜
瞬Full Character
=
目mu4
left
舜Shun4
right
Exercise 1 of 2
Identify the Components
Which of these is a component of 瞬?
How to say to wink in Chinese
“to wink” in Chinese is瞬shùn
The character 瞬 (shùn) primarily means 'to wink' or 'to blink,' signifying a very brief moment in time, similar to 'an instant.' It is often used in contexts that emphasize the fleeting nature of time or events, making it relevant in both literary and conversational Chinese.
When to use 瞬
Be careful not to confuse 瞬 with similar-sounding words like 顺 (shùn), which means 'smooth' or 'to follow.' This word is typically used in informal contexts when referring to a blink or a very short period, so it may not be suitable for formal writing. Common collocations include 瞬间 (shùnjiān) meaning 'instant' or 'moment.'
瞬 or something close to it
瞬 (shùn) vs 霎 (shā) — use 瞬 for a general sense of a brief moment, while 霎 specifically refers to a very short, sudden period, often used in poetic contexts.
What learners get wrong
Learners often confuse 瞬 with 瞑 (míng), which means 'to close the eyes' or 'to meditate,' leading to incorrect usage. For example, saying '我瞬眼' (Wǒ shùn yǎn) instead of '我眨眼' (Wǒ zhǎ yǎn) meaning 'I blink' is incorrect; the correct character for blink is 眨 (zhǎ).
Write 瞬
瞬
New here? to save your writing progress and earn XP.
Practice writing 瞬 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
Write correctly 3 times to earn XP
Grammar Patterns of 瞬
瞬 carries 2 distinct meanings. Below you'll find the patterns that show how it combines with other words, plus example sentences pulled directly from native usage.
Exercise 1 of 4
Complete the Sentence
有一____间，阿诺德对威尔逊先生心生同情。
For a moment, Arnold felt a twinge of sympathy for Mr Wilson.
