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建 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
Hanzi
Pinyin
English
Tags
建
jiàn
to establish
HSK 5, v, 8 strokes, radical 廴, rank #2272, Hard
建
jiàn
to found
HSK 5, v, 8 strokes, radical 廴, rank #2272, Hard
建
jiàn
to set up
HSK 5, v, 8 strokes, radical 廴, rank #2272, Hard
建
jiàn
to build
HSK 5, v, 8 strokes, radical 廴, rank #2272, Hard
建
jiàn
to construct
HSK 5, v, 8 strokes, radical 廴, rank #2272, Hard
建
jiàn
to build, to erect; to establish, to found
HSK 5, v, 8 strokes, radical 廴, rank #2272, Hard
jiàn(jian4)jian T4
1to establish
2to found
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March 24, 2026
建jiàn(jian4)
The character 建 (jiàn) means 'to establish' or 'to build.' It is commonly used in contexts related to construction, founding institutions, or setting up systems. This term conveys a sense of creation and development, whether physically (like buildings) or abstractly (like organizations).
Strokes8Radical廴Frequency#2272DifficultyHard
Cultural note
In Chinese culture, the concept of 建 is often linked to significant historical events, such as the 建国 (jiàn guó, 'establishment of the nation') in 1949, symbolizing national pride and development.
Memory tip
Imagine a builder erecting a structure. The character 建 resembles a roof (the top part) over a sturdy base (the bottom part), representing something being built. Think of the phrase 'I can build' which sounds like 'jiàn' to help memorize the pronunciation.
Meanings of 建
jiàn(jian4)
1to establish
2to found
Exercise 1 of 2
By ear
Play it, then pick what 建 means.
About 建
建Simplified
8Strokes
廴Radical
动词dòngcíverb (v.)Part of Speech
#2272Frequency Rank
HSK 3.0L5ElementaryTOCFLL3HSKKL2CEFRA2
Podcast: 建
Podcast: 建
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AI study notes for 建
Quick Contrast
构 (gòu) — use 建 (jiàn) when emphasizing establishment or creation, while 构 (gòu) focuses more on the structural aspect of building.
Usage Notes
Learners often confuse 建 with similar verbs like 造 (zào), which means 'to make' or 'to manufacture.' 建 is more formal and specifically implies establishment or construction. Common collocations include 建房子 (jiàn fángzi, 'to build a house') and 建立 (jiànlì, 'to establish').
HSK Study Tips
Although 建 is not specifically listed in HSK levels, it connects to HSK 3 and 4 vocabulary related to construction and establishment. Students should focus on its use in phrases and its relation to other verbs of creation like 造, 设 (shè, 'to set up').
Common Mistakes
Learners may confuse 建 with 造, leading to incorrect sentences like '我造一个房子' (wǒ zào yīgè fángzi, 'I make a house'). The correct form should be '我建一个房子' (wǒ jiàn yīgè fángzi).
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 建
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建 = 廴 + 聿. What kind of character does that make it?
Decomposition of 建
IDS Structure⿺廴聿
建Full character
=
廴yin3
enclosing
聿yu4
inner
Exercise 1 of 2
Parts
Which of these is part of 建?
How to say to establish in Chinese
“to establish” in Chinese is建jiàn
The character 建 (jiàn) means 'to establish' or 'to build.' It is commonly used in contexts related to construction, founding institutions, or setting up systems. This term conveys a sense of creation and development, whether physically (like buildings) or abstractly (like organizations).
When to use 建
Learners often confuse 建 with similar verbs like 造 (zào), which means 'to make' or 'to manufacture.' 建 is more formal and specifically implies establishment or construction. Common collocations include 建房子 (jiàn fángzi, 'to build a house') and 建立 (jiànlì, 'to establish').
建 or something close to it
构 (gòu) — use 建 (jiàn) when emphasizing establishment or creation, while 构 (gòu) focuses more on the structural aspect of building.
What learners get wrong
Learners may confuse 建 with 造, leading to incorrect sentences like '我造一个房子' (wǒ zào yīgè fángzi, 'I make a house'). The correct form should be '我建一个房子' (wǒ jiàn yīgè fángzi).
Write 建
建
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Practice writing 建 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
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Grammar patterns of 建
建 functions as a verb — the action or state of the sentence. The Chinese order is Subject + Verb + Object (我吃饭). Negate it with 不 (habitual / future) or 没(有) (completed action). Add aspect markers like 了, 过, 着 directly after the verb. It carries 6 related meanings, each with its own usage notes below. The patterns below break down its most common sentence frames, with example sentences and practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) for each one.
tāmen zuìzhōng de mùbiāo shì wèi xiōng yá lì jiànlì qǐ shìchǎngjīngjì tǐzhì。
Their ultimate aim was a market economy for Hungary.
10
这个公园是为了保护该州最北部地区的一些森林而建的。
zhège gōngyuán shì wèile bǎohù gāi zhōu zuì běibù dìqū de yìxiē sēnlín ér jiàn de。
The park was created to preserve some of the forests upstate.
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Cultural Notes for 建
💡Did you know?
In Chinese culture, the act of building is often associated with prosperity and stability. Many people believe that a well-constructed house brings good luck to its occupants.
Word Family of 建
Compounds17
健jiànhealthy
键jiànkey (on a piano or computer keyboard)
腱jiàntendon, sinew
毽jiàna shuttlecock
鰎jiǎn
揵qián
楗jiànlatch, crossbar
犍jiānbullock; to castrate
踺jiànto somersault
鞬jiān
徤jiàn
旔jiàn
湕jiǎn
煡jìn
睷jiān
鍵jiànlock, door bolt; key
騝qián
Words containing this character20
建议jiànyìto propose建議
建设jiànshèto build建設
建立jiànlìto establish
建筑jiànzhùto construct建築
建jiànto found
建造jiànzàoto construct
重建chóngjiànto rebuild
建成jiànchéngto establish
组建zǔjiànto organize組建
创建chuàngjiànto found創建
建筑物jiànzhùwùbuilding建築物
构建gòujiànto construct (sth abstract)構建
建筑师jiànzhùshīarchitect建築師
修建xiūjiànto build
福建fújiànFujian province (Fukien) in Taiwan
新建xīnjiànnewly built
建材jiàncáibuilding materials
建设性jiànshèxìngconstructive建設性
搭建dājiànto rig up
兴建xīngjiànto build興建
Exercise 1 of 4
Characters with 建
What does 健 mean?
Frequently asked questions about 建
To remember 建 (jiàn), you can visualize it as a structure being built, with the radical indicating a foundation. Associating it with real-life building projects can help reinforce its meaning. Additionally, using flashcards or writing it repeatedly can aid in memorization.
Common phrases that include 建 (jiàn) are 建筑 (jiànzhú), meaning 'architecture,' and 建设 (jiànshè), meaning 'construction' or 'development.' These phrases are useful for discussing urban development and architecture in Chinese.
建 (jiàn) means 'to establish' or 'to build.' It is commonly used in various contexts such as constructing buildings, setting up organizations, or founding institutions. This character is essential for learners who want to discuss development and creation in Chinese.
You can use 建 (jiàn) in sentences to indicate the action of building or establishing something. For example, '我们要建一座新房子' (Wǒmen yào jiàn yī zuò xīn fángzi), which means 'We want to build a new house.' This shows the character in a practical context.
Common phrases include 建房子 (jiàn fángzi, 'to build a house') and 建立公司 (jiànlì gōngsī, 'to establish a company').
Yes, 建 can be used in both formal and informal contexts, but it is more common in formal situations like business or official documents.
Yes, synonyms include 造 (zào, 'to make') and 设立 (shèlì, 'to set up'), though each has slightly different nuances.
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