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菌 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
jūngermn, 11 strokes, radical 艹, rank #7210, Hard
jūnbacterian, 11 strokes, radical 艹, rank #7210, Hard
jūnfungusn, 11 strokes, radical 艹, rank #7210, Hard
jūnmoldn, 11 strokes, radical 艹, rank #7210, Hard
jūnTaiwan pr. [jùn]n, 11 strokes, radical 艹, rank #7210, Hard
jūnmushroomn, 11 strokes, radical 艹, rank #7210, Hard
jūnmushroom; bacteria, germ, microben, 11 strokes, radical 艹, rank #7210, Hard
jūnTaiwan pr. [jun4]unknown, 11 strokes, radical 艹, rank #7210, Hard
jùngermn, 11 strokes, radical 艹, rank #7210, Hard
jùnbacterian, 11 strokes, radical 艹, rank #7210, Hard
jùnfungusn, 11 strokes, radical 艹, rank #7210, Hard
jùnmoldn, 11 strokes, radical 艹, rank #7210, Hard
jùnTaiwan pr. [jùn]n, 11 strokes, radical 艹, rank #7210, Hard
jùnmushroomn, 11 strokes, radical 艹, rank #7210, Hard
jùnmushroom; bacteria, germ, microben, 11 strokes, radical 艹, rank #7210, Hard
jùnTaiwan pr. [jun4]unknown, 11 strokes, radical 艹, rank #7210, Hard
jūn(jun1)
primary
T1
  1. 1germ
  2. 2bacteria
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026
jūn(jun1)

The character 菌 (jūn) primarily refers to germs, bacteria, or fungi, including mushrooms and molds. It is commonly used in contexts related to biology, health, and food, particularly when discussing microorganisms or edible fungi.

Strokes11RadicalFrequency#7210DifficultyHard
Cultural Note

In Chinese cuisine, mushrooms (菌) are highly valued for their flavor and nutritional benefits, often featured in traditional dishes. This reflects the culture's appreciation for natural ingredients and health.

Memory Tip

Imagine a tiny mushroom (菌) growing on a piece of bread. The mushroom has a 'jūn' shape, resembling a small umbrella. This visual can help you remember both the meaning of 'fungus' and the sound 'jūn'.

Meanings of 菌

jūn(jun1)
primary
1germ
2bacteria
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 菌

Simplified
11Strokes
Radical
名词míngcínoun (n.)Part of Speech
#7210Frequency Rank

Podcast: 菌

JasonAmy

Podcast:

Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you

AI Study Notes for 菌

Quick Contrast

霉 (méi) refers specifically to mold, while 菌 (jūn) encompasses a broader range of microorganisms, including bacteria and fungi.

Memory Mnemonic

Imagine a tiny mushroom (菌) growing on a piece of bread. The mushroom has a 'jūn' shape, resembling a small umbrella. This visual can help you remember both the meaning of 'fungus' and the sound 'jūn'.

Usage Notes

Be mindful of the tone when pronouncing 菌; it should be pronounced as 'jūn' with a high level tone. A common mistake is confusing 菌 with '菌类' (jūn lèi), which means 'fungi' or 'mushroom types', as learners might omit the classifier.

HSK Study Tips

Although 菌 is not in the HSK levels, it connects to other HSK vocabulary related to health and food, such as 食品 (shípǐn, food) and 健康 (jiànkāng, health). Focus on recognizing its usage in scientific contexts.

Cultural Note

In Chinese cuisine, mushrooms (菌) are highly valued for their flavor and nutritional benefits, often featured in traditional dishes. This reflects the culture's appreciation for natural ingredients and health.

Common Mistakes

Learners often mispronounce 菌 as 'jun' instead of 'jūn', altering its meaning. Additionally, confusing it with similar characters like 虫 (chóng, insect) can lead to misunderstandings in context.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 菌

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Etymology of 菌

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

plant

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

Character Formation Type

What type of character formation is 菌?

Decomposition of 菌

IDS Structure⿱艹囷
Full Character
=
cao3
top
qun1
bottom
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 菌?

Write 菌

Practice writing 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 菌

菌 functions as a noun — it names a person, place, thing, or concept. Place it as a subject before the verb (主+谓) or as an object after the verb (谓+宾). Most Chinese nouns require a measure word between the number and the noun (e.g. 一个/三本). It carries 8 related meanings, each with its own usage notes below. The example sentences below show it in action, with practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) on every line.

Exercise 1 of 4

Complete the Sentence

如果潮湿发霉的建筑令你生病了,霉____很可能是病因。

If damp, musty buildings make you ill, mould is probably the cause.

Example Sentences for 菌 (10)

Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
如果潮湿发霉的建筑令你生病了,霉菌很可能是病因。

rú guǒ cháo shī fā méi de jiàn zhù líng nǐ shēng bìng le, , méi jūn hěn kě néng shì bìng。

If damp, musty buildings make you ill, mould is probably the cause.
2
温牛奶是细菌理想的滋生地。

wēn niú nǎi shì xì jūn lǐ xiǎng de zī shēng dì。

Warm milk is the ideal breeding ground for bacteria.
3
分生孢子是真菌的特征,无性繁殖的单位.

fēn shēng bāo zǐ shì zhēn jūn de tè zhēng, , wú xìng fán zhí de dān.

Conidia are the characteristic asexual reproductive units of fungi.
4
百里香茶的杀菌功效可用于成人。

bǎi lǐ xiāng chá de shā jūn gōng xiào kě yòng yú chéng rén。

Thyme tea can be used by adults for its antiseptic qualities.
5
把所有东西都彻底洗净以避免细菌污染.

bǎ suǒ yǒu dōng xī dū chè dǐ xǐ jìng yǐ bì miǎn xì jūn wū rǎn.

Wash everything thoroughly to avoid contamination with bacteria.
6
排斥现象除担子菌外也曾由其它真菌证实过.

pái chì xiàn xiàng chú dān zǐ jūn wài yě zēng yóu qí tā zhēn jūn zhèng shí guò.

Aversion phenomena are shown by fungi other than basidiomycetes.
7
瓶盖上有一层薄薄的霉菌.

píng gài shàng yǒu yī céng báo báo de méi jūn.

There is a film of mould over the bottle cap.
8
它们产生特有的墨粉菌冬孢子.

tā mén chǎn shēng tè yǒu de mò fěn jūn dōng bāo zǐ.

They produce the characteristic brandspores.
9
对许多伞菌来说情况可能就是这样.

duì xǔ duō sǎn jūn lái shuō qíng kuàng kě néng jiù shì zhè yàng.

This may be true for many agarics.
10
伞菌目:担子菌纲的一目,包含蘑菇和伞菌等.

sǎn jūn mù: : dān zǐ jūn gāng de yī, mù , bāo hán mó gū hé sǎn.

Agaricales ( agarics ) An order of basidiomycetes that contains the mushrooms and toadstools.

Cultural Notes for 菌

🏮Cultural insight

In Chinese cuisine, mushrooms (菌) are highly valued for their flavor and nutritional benefits, often featured in traditional dishes. This reflects the culture's appreciation for natural ingredients and health.

🌏Cross-cultural Insight

In Western cultures, bacteria are often regarded solely as harmful, while in Chinese culture, certain types of fungi are celebrated as nutritious food sources, highlighting a more diverse view of microorganisms.

Word Family of 菌

Words Containing This Character20
细菌xìjūngerm細菌
jūngerm
杆菌bacillus (any rod-shaped bacteria)桿菌
病菌germs
霉菌mold
真菌fungi
抗菌antibacterial
杀菌to kill germs殺菌
葡萄球菌staphylococcus
链球菌streptococcus (genus of bacteria)鏈球菌
大肠杆菌Escherichia coli (E. coli)大腸桿菌
灭菌to sterilize滅菌
球菌coccus (spherical bacteria pathogen)
沙门氏菌Salmonella沙門氏菌
菌类fungus菌類
菌落bacterial colony
病原菌a pathogen
细菌战biological warfare細菌戰
致病菌pathogenic bacteria
菌种strain菌種
Exercise 1 of 4

Compound Meaning

What does 细菌 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 菌

It translates to 'germ', 'bacteria', or 'fungus', commonly used in biological contexts.