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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) T1
  1. 1deeds, feats; merit; rank
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
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

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

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

Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you

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

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 勛

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

  1. 1The meaning half力 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half員 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
  3. 3The giveawaystrength
  4. 4On the record aspictophonetic.

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

Want the full history of 勛? 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 勛?

Decomposition of 勛

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

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component 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.

Write correctly 3 times to earn XP

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

Compound Meaning

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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