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勛 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
勛xūndeeds, feats; merit; rankx, 12 strokes, radical 力, rank #33580, Very Hard
xūn(xun1)xun T1
  1. 1deeds, feats; merit; rank
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March 24, 2026

勛xūn(xun1)

The character 勛 (xūn) refers to notable achievements, deeds, or merits that can elevate one's status or rank, often in a military or official context. It signifies recognition for significant contributions or accomplishments, especially those worthy of honor or distinction.

Strokes12Radical力Frequency#33580DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note

In Chinese history, 勛 has often been associated with military honors and titles awarded to individuals for their valor and service, reflecting the traditional respect for martial prowess and loyalty.

Memory Tip

Imagine a soldier (the radical 力) who has performed extraordinary feats on the battlefield, earning him a badge of merit (勛). The shape of the character can remind you of a medal hanging on a chest, symbolizing the recognition of one's efforts.

Meanings of 勛

xūn(xun1)
1deeds, feats; merit; rank
Exercise 1 of 2

By ear

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About 勛

勛Simplified
12Strokes
力Radical
非语素字non-morpheme character (n-m.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 勛

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Podcast: 勛

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AI Study Notes for 勛

Quick Contrast

勋 (xūn) vs 功 (gōng) — use 勋 when emphasizing recognition or honor for achievements, while 功 focuses more on the merits or contributions themselves.

Usage Notes

勛 is typically used in formal contexts, especially in military or governmental settings. A common mistake is to confuse it with 功 (gōng), which also means achievement but is broader and less formal. Pay attention to the context to choose the right term.

HSK Study Tips

While 勛 is not included in the HSK levels, it relates to the concepts of achievements found in HSK Level 4 and above. Focus on the context of merit and achievements within formal language and literature to deepen understanding.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 勛 with 荣 (róng), which means honor, leading to incorrect usage in contexts of recognition. For example, saying '他的荣是很高的' instead of '他的勛是很高的' is incorrect.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 勛

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Etymology of 勛

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

Phonosemantic compound. 力 represents the meaning and 员 represents the sound. Simplified form of 勛.

Memory Hint

strength

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

Origin

勛 = 力 + 員. What kind of character does that make it?

Decomposition of 勛

IDS Structure⿰員力
勛Full Character
=
員yuan2
left
力Li4
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Parts

Which of these is part of 勛?

How to say deeds, feats; merit; rank in Chinese

“deeds, feats; merit; rank” in Chinese is勛xūn

The character 勛 (xūn) refers to notable achievements, deeds, or merits that can elevate one's status or rank, often in a military or official context. It signifies recognition for significant contributions or accomplishments, especially those worthy of honor or distinction.

When to use 勛

勛 is typically used in formal contexts, especially in military or governmental settings. A common mistake is to confuse it with 功 (gōng), which also means achievement but is broader and less formal. Pay attention to the context to choose the right term.

勛 or something close to it

勋 (xūn) vs 功 (gōng) — use 勋 when emphasizing recognition or honor for achievements, while 功 focuses more on the merits or contributions themselves.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 勛 with 荣 (róng), which means honor, leading to incorrect usage in contexts of recognition. For example, saying '他的荣是很高的' instead of '他的勛是很高的' is incorrect.

Write 勛

勛

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

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Word Family of 勛

Words Containing This Character7
勋章xūnzhāngmedal勛章
勋爵UK life peer勳爵
勋xūnmedal勛
功勋achievement功勛
授勋to award an honor授勛
元勋leading light元勛
开国元勋founding father開國元勛
Exercise 1 of 4

Words with 勛

What does 勋章 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 勛

You can use 勛 to describe someone's honor, such as '他获得了军队的勛章' (He received a medal of merit from the army).

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