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勳 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
勳xūndead, feat; merit, rankx, 16 strokes, radical 力
xūn(xun1)xun T1
  1. 1dead, feat; merit, rank
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March 24, 2026

勳xūn(xun1)

The character 勳 (xūn) refers to merit, achievement, or honor, often in the context of military or civil service. It can denote a rank or title that acknowledges someone's accomplishments. Commonly used in formal contexts, it emphasizes the recognition of significant contributions or feats.

Strokes16Radical力
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, receiving a 勳章 (medal of honor) is a significant recognition of one's service or contribution to society, particularly in military or public service contexts. This reflects the high value placed on merit and recognition in Chinese society.

Memory Tip

Imagine a soldier (the radical 勹) proudly displaying his medals (representing achievement) in a parade. The sound 'xūn' can be remembered as 'soon'—as in, 'Soon, he will be honored for his feats.' Visualize the medals shining in the sun, symbolizing his hard-earned merit.

Meanings of 勳

xūn(xun1)
1dead, feat; merit, rank
Exercise 1 of 2

By ear

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About 勳

勳Simplified
16Strokes
力Radical
非语素字non-morpheme character (n-m.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

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Podcast: 勳

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AI Study Notes for 勳

Quick Contrast

勋 (xūn, merit) vs 荣 (róng, honor) — use 勋 when specifically referring to achievements or military distinctions, while 荣 is broader, encompassing general honor.

Usage Notes

Be cautious with the tone, as 'xūn' must be pronounced in the first tone. This character is often used in formal contexts and may not be suitable for casual conversation. Collocations include 勳章 (xūnzhāng), meaning 'medal of honor.'

HSK Study Tips

Although 勳 is not on the HSK list, it connects with HSK vocabulary related to achievement and honor, such as 荣誉 (róngyù, honor) and 成就 (chéngjiù, achievement). Focus on recognizing this character in formal texts and military-related discussions.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 勳 with similar characters like 勇 (yǒng, courage) due to their similar appearances. Remember that 勳 emphasizes merit and honor, whereas 勇 focuses on bravery.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 勳

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Etymology of 勳

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)熏
Learn more about Phono-semantic (形声字) characters
Exercise 1 of 1

Origin

勳 = 力 + 熏. What kind of character does that make it?

Decomposition of 勳

IDS Structure⿰熏力
勳Full Character
=
熏xun1
left
力Li4
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Parts

Which of these is part of 勳?

How to say dead, feat; merit, rank in Chinese

“dead, feat; merit, rank” in Chinese is勳xūn

The character 勳 (xūn) refers to merit, achievement, or honor, often in the context of military or civil service. It can denote a rank or title that acknowledges someone's accomplishments. Commonly used in formal contexts, it emphasizes the recognition of significant contributions or feats.

When to use 勳

Be cautious with the tone, as 'xūn' must be pronounced in the first tone. This character is often used in formal contexts and may not be suitable for casual conversation. Collocations include 勳章 (xūnzhāng), meaning 'medal of honor.'

勳 or something close to it

勋 (xūn, merit) vs 荣 (róng, honor) — use 勋 when specifically referring to achievements or military distinctions, while 荣 is broader, encompassing general honor.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 勳 with similar characters like 勇 (yǒng, courage) due to their similar appearances. Remember that 勳 emphasizes merit and honor, whereas 勇 focuses on bravery.

Write 勳

勳

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

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Word Family of 勳

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 勳

What does 勋章 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 勳

勳 is typically not used in casual conversation but may appear in formal discussions about achievements or honors.

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