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隼 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
隼sǔnfalcon, eagle; an aquiline noseg, 10 strokes, radical 隹, rank #23263, Very Hard
隼sǔnTaiwan pr. [zhun3]unknown, 10 strokes, radical 隹, rank #23263, Very Hard
sǔn(sun3)sun T3
  1. 1falcon, eagle; an aquiline nose
  2. 2Taiwan pr. [zhun3]
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March 24, 2026

隼sǔn(sun3)

The character 隼 (sǔn) primarily refers to a falcon or eagle, birds known for their keen eyesight and speed. It can also describe a person with an aquiline nose, drawing a metaphorical connection between the sharp features of the bird and human anatomy. This term is often used in literature and poetry to evoke imagery of swiftness and precision.

Strokes10Radical隹Frequency#23263DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural note

In Chinese culture, falcons symbolize strength and determination, often appearing in poetry to represent a person's ambitions or aspirations. The use of bird imagery is prevalent in traditional Chinese art and literature.

Memory tip

Imagine a swift falcon soaring in the sky, its sharp beak resembling the '隼' character. The left part '阝' can remind you of a mountain, symbolizing height and elevation, while the right part '小' suggests smallness, as falcons are not as large as eagles but are equally fierce.

Meanings of 隼

sǔn(sun3)
1falcon, eagle; an aquiline nose
2Taiwan pr. [zhun3]
Exercise 1 of 2

By ear

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About 隼

隼Simplified
10Strokes
隹Radical
语素morpheme (morph.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 隼

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Podcast: 隼

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AI study notes for 隼

Quick Contrast

隼 (sǔn) vs 鷹 (yīng) — use 隼 for smaller, faster falcons, while 鷹 refers to larger eagles.

Usage Notes

Be cautious with the tone when pronouncing 隼 (sǔn); mispronouncing it can change the meaning. It is a formal term, often used in literary contexts rather than everyday conversation. Common collocations include '猛隼' (máng sǔn) meaning 'fierce falcon'.

HSK Study Tips

Though 隼 is not part of the official HSK vocabulary, it can be related to other animal names in HSK levels, such as 鸟 (niǎo - bird). Students should focus on recognizing this character in texts about nature and wildlife.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 隼 (sǔn) with similar-sounding characters like 孙 (sūn), which means 'grandson'. Ensure correct pronunciation and context to prevent misunderstandings.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 隼

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Etymology of 隼

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

Pictograph of a falcon.

Memory hint

bird

Semantic (meaning)隹
+
Phonetic (sound)十
Learn more about Phono-semantic (形声字) characters
Exercise 1 of 1

Origin

隼 = 隹 + 十. What kind of character does that make it?

Decomposition of 隼

IDS Structure⿱隹十
隼Full character
=
隹zhui1
top
十shi2
bottom
Exercise 1 of 2

Parts

Which of these is part of 隼?

How to say falcon, eagle; an aquiline nose in Chinese

“falcon, eagle; an aquiline nose” in Chinese is隼sǔn

The character 隼 (sǔn) primarily refers to a falcon or eagle, birds known for their keen eyesight and speed. It can also describe a person with an aquiline nose, drawing a metaphorical connection between the sharp features of the bird and human anatomy. This term is often used in literature and poetry to evoke imagery of swiftness and precision.

When to use 隼

Be cautious with the tone when pronouncing 隼 (sǔn); mispronouncing it can change the meaning. It is a formal term, often used in literary contexts rather than everyday conversation. Common collocations include '猛隼' (máng sǔn) meaning 'fierce falcon'.

隼 or something close to it

隼 (sǔn) vs 鷹 (yīng) — use 隼 for smaller, faster falcons, while 鷹 refers to larger eagles.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 隼 (sǔn) with similar-sounding characters like 孙 (sūn), which means 'grandson'. Ensure correct pronunciation and context to prevent misunderstandings.

Write 隼

隼

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

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Grammar patterns of 隼

隼 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 1

Fill the gap

Type the missing word. Pinyin works; then pick the character.

游____捕到鸟类猎物时,通常是先拔掉它们的羽毛,再把肉撕下来.

Peregrine falcons usually pluck the feathers and strip the flesh off their bird prey.

Example sentences for 隼 (1)

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1
游隼捕到鸟类猎物时,通常是先拔掉它们的羽毛,再把肉撕下来.

yóu sǔn bǔ dào niǎo lèi lièwù shí, tōngcháng shì xiān bá diào tāmen de yǔ máo, zài bǎ ròu sī xiàlái.

Peregrine falcons usually pluck the feathers and strip the flesh off their bird prey.

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Word Family of 隼

Words containing this character1
隼sǔnfalcon

Frequently asked questions about 隼

鸟 (niǎo) is a general term for 'bird', while 隼 (sǔn) specifically refers to a type of bird, namely a falcon or eagle.

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