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郴 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
郴chēna county in Hunan province; surnamens, 10 strokes, radical 阝
郴chēnname of a district in Hunanunknown, 10 strokes, radical 阝
chēn(chen1) T1
  1. 1a county in Hunan province; surname
  2. 2name of a district in Hunan
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

郴chēn(chen1)

The character 郴 (chēn) primarily refers to a county in Hunan province, China, known for its beautiful landscapes. It is also used as a surname and designates a district within Hunan. The character is often encountered in geographical and administrative contexts.

Strokes10Radical阝
Cultural Note

郴 is associated with the natural beauty and cultural heritage of Hunan province, which is known for its rich history and picturesque scenery. The area's landscapes often appear in Chinese poetry and art.

Memory Tip

Imagine a tall mountain (山) in the shape of the character 郴, rising above a serene lake (氵), symbolizing the natural beauty of the 郴 county. The 'ch' in the pronunciation 'chēn' can be remembered as 'charming,' reflecting the charm of this location.

Meanings of 郴

chēn(chen1)
1a county in Hunan province; surname
2name of a district in Hunan
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 郴

郴Simplified
10Strokes
阝Radical
地名míngcíplace name (p.n.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 郴

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Podcast: 郴

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AI Study Notes for 郴

Usage Notes

When using 郴, be mindful of its specific geographical context, as it can easily be confused with other place names in China. It is typically used in more formal contexts, such as official documents or discussions about geography. Watch out for tone mistakes; the correct pronunciation is with a high-level tone (chēn).

HSK Study Tips

While 郴 is not included in the HSK vocabulary lists, it is useful for learners at HSK level 3 and above, especially when discussing places. Connect it with other geographical terms and practice the pronunciation to strengthen your understanding.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 郴 with similar-sounding characters. For example, they might mistakenly write 宸 (chén), which means 'palace' or 'house.' Always double-check the character's components and meaning to avoid this error.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 郴

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Etymology of 郴

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

place

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

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 郴

  1. 1The meaning half阝 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half林 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
  3. 3The giveawayplace
  4. 4On the record aspictophonetic.

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

Want the full history of 郴? 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 郴?

Decomposition of 郴

IDS Structure⿰林阝
郴Full Character
=
林Lin2
left
阝yi4
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 郴?

How to say a county in Hunan province; surname in Chinese

“a county in Hunan province; surname” in Chinese is郴chēn

The character 郴 (chēn) primarily refers to a county in Hunan province, China, known for its beautiful landscapes. It is also used as a surname and designates a district within Hunan. The character is often encountered in geographical and administrative contexts.

When to use 郴

When using 郴, be mindful of its specific geographical context, as it can easily be confused with other place names in China. It is typically used in more formal contexts, such as official documents or discussions about geography. Watch out for tone mistakes; the correct pronunciation is with a high-level tone (chēn).

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 郴 with similar-sounding characters. For example, they might mistakenly write 宸 (chén), which means 'palace' or 'house.' Always double-check the character's components and meaning to avoid this error.

Write 郴

郴

Practice writing 郴 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 郴

Words Containing This Character3
郴州a city in Hunan province
郴州市Chenzhou prefecture-level city in Hunan
郴chēnname of a district in Hunan
Exercise 1 of 3

Compound Meaning

What does 郴州 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 郴

郴 refers to a county in Hunan province and can also be a surname.

Jason Recommends

Not sure what to learn after 郴?

Jason picks three words from your level and explains why each one is worth your time next. It takes a free account so he knows what you already know.