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醌 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
醌kūnquinoneg, 15 strokes, radical 酉, rank #51432, Very Hard
醌kūnquinone (chemistry)unknown, 15 strokes, radical 酉, rank #51432, Very Hard
kūn(kun1) T1
  1. 1quinone
  2. 2quinone (chemistry)
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March 24, 2026

醌kūn(kun1)

醌 (kūn) refers to a class of cyclic organic compounds known as quinones, which are important in various chemical processes, especially in biology and industry. They are characterized by a conjugated double bond system, contributing to their stability and reactivity, and are commonly used in dyes, pharmaceuticals, and as electron acceptors in biological systems.

Strokes15Radical酉Frequency#51432DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note

In traditional Chinese medicine, certain quinones are recognized for their medicinal properties, linking the term 醌 to both modern chemistry and ancient practices. This reflects the integration of science and culture in understanding natural compounds.

Memory Tip

Think of 醌 (kūn) as a 'cooked' compound in chemistry. The radical 醯 (xiā) represents 'liquor' or 'sauce,' hinting at the organic nature of quinones. Imagine a chemist cooking up vibrant colored dyes in a lab, where the 'kūn' sounds like 'cooked,' reminding you of the life's chemistry at play.

Meanings of 醌

kūn(kun1)
1quinone
2quinone (chemistry)
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 醌

醌Simplified
15Strokes
酉Radical
语素morpheme (morph.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 醌

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Podcast: 醌

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AI Study Notes for 醌

Usage Notes

醌 is primarily used in scientific and technical contexts, so it's important to use it appropriately in discussions related to chemistry. Common mistakes include confusing it with similar-sounding words in Mandarin, which can lead to misunderstanding. Always ensure clarity when using it in academic writing.

HSK Study Tips

Although 醌 is not commonly included in HSK vocabulary, understanding it can enhance your chemistry-related vocabulary. Students should focus on recognizing this term in scientific literature and its structural components to better grasp advanced chemistry discussions.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 醌 (kūn) with 醯 (xiā), which refers to a sauce or liquor. It's important to distinguish between these terms, as they pertain to different contexts in chemistry and daily life.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 醌

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Etymology of 醌

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

chemical

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

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 醌

  1. 1The meaning half酉 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half昆 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
  3. 3The giveawaychemical
  4. 4On the record aspictophonetic.

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

Want the full history of 醌? 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 醌?

Decomposition of 醌

IDS Structure⿰酉昆
醌Full Character
=
酉you3
left
昆kun1
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 醌?

How to say quinone in Chinese

“quinone” in Chinese is醌kūn

醌 (kūn) refers to a class of cyclic organic compounds known as quinones, which are important in various chemical processes, especially in biology and industry. They are characterized by a conjugated double bond system, contributing to their stability and reactivity, and are commonly used in dyes, pharmaceuticals, and as electron acceptors in biological systems.

When to use 醌

醌 is primarily used in scientific and technical contexts, so it's important to use it appropriately in discussions related to chemistry. Common mistakes include confusing it with similar-sounding words in Mandarin, which can lead to misunderstanding. Always ensure clarity when using it in academic writing.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 醌 (kūn) with 醯 (xiā), which refers to a sauce or liquor. It's important to distinguish between these terms, as they pertain to different contexts in chemistry and daily life.

Write 醌

醌

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

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Word Family of 醌

Words Containing This Character1
醌kūnquinone (chemistry)
Exercise 1 of 1

Compound Meaning

What does 醌 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 醌

It refers to a class of organic compounds known as quinones, used in various chemical processes.

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