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徇 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
徇xùnto follow, to comply with; to displayvg, 9 strokes, radical 彳
徇xùnto give in tounknown, 9 strokes, radical 彳
徇xùnto be swayed by (personal considerations etc)unknown, 9 strokes, radical 彳
徇xùnTaiwan pr. [xun2]unknown, 9 strokes, radical 彳
徇xùnto expose publiclyunknown, 9 strokes, radical 彳
xùn(xun4) T4
  1. 1to follow, to comply with; to display
  2. 2to give in to
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March 24, 2026

徇xùn(xun4)

The character 徇 (xùn) primarily means to follow or comply with something, often reflecting a sense of obedience or submission. It can also imply displaying something publicly or being swayed by personal considerations, making it relevant in contexts involving decision-making and ethical dilemmas.

Strokes9Radical彳
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, the concept of following rules or social norms is deeply ingrained. The character 徇 reflects a value placed on compliance with societal expectations, particularly in family and community settings.

Memory Tip

Imagine a person with a 'follow' sign (the character 徇 resembles a person holding a sign) being swayed by the crowd around them. The '人' (person) component suggests individual action, while '循' (to follow) shows the act of complying with others, linking the character's form to its meaning.

Meanings of 徇

xùn(xun4)
1to follow, to comply with; to display
2to give in to
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 徇

徇Simplified
9Strokes
彳Radical
动语素dòngcíverb root (v.root)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 徇

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Podcast: 徇

Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you

AI Study Notes for 徇

Usage Notes

Learners often confuse 徇 with similar-sounding characters, leading to misinterpretation. It is generally used in formal contexts, particularly in legal or ethical discussions. Be mindful of tone; the fourth tone can change the meaning significantly.

HSK Study Tips

Though not in the HSK levels, understanding 徇 can enhance comprehension of complex texts, especially those discussing moral or legal themes. Focus on its usage in phrases and idioms to see how it interacts with other vocabulary.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 徇 with 循 (xún), which means to follow in a more general sense. For example, using 徇 in place of 循 in '循规蹈矩' (to follow rules) is incorrect; the correct character in this case is 循.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 徇

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Etymology of 徇

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

Phonosemantic compound. 彳 represents the meaning and 旬 represents the sound. Simplified form of 狥.

Memory Hint

step

Semantic (meaning)彳
+
Phonetic (sound)旬
Learn more about Phono-semantic (形声字) characters

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 徇

Phonosemantic compound. 彳 represents the meaning and 旬 represents the sound. Simplified form of 狥.

  1. 1The meaning half彳 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half旬 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
  3. 3The giveawaystep
  4. 4On the record aspictophonetic.

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

Want the full history of 徇? 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 徇?

Decomposition of 徇

IDS Structure⿰彳旬
徇Full Character
=
彳chi4
left
旬xun2
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 徇?

How to say to follow, to comply with; to display in Chinese

“to follow, to comply with; to display” in Chinese is徇xùn

The character 徇 (xùn) primarily means to follow or comply with something, often reflecting a sense of obedience or submission. It can also imply displaying something publicly or being swayed by personal considerations, making it relevant in contexts involving decision-making and ethical dilemmas.

When to use 徇

Learners often confuse 徇 with similar-sounding characters, leading to misinterpretation. It is generally used in formal contexts, particularly in legal or ethical discussions. Be mindful of tone; the fourth tone can change the meaning significantly.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 徇 with 循 (xún), which means to follow in a more general sense. For example, using 徇 in place of 循 in '循规蹈矩' (to follow rules) is incorrect; the correct character in this case is 循.

Write 徇

徇

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

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Word Family of 徇

Words Containing This Character4
徇私舞弊to abuse one's position for personal gain (idiom)
徇xùnto give in to
徇情to show partiality
徇情枉法to bend the law in order to favor one's relatives or associates (idiom)
Exercise 1 of 4

Compound Meaning

What does 徇私舞弊 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 徇

Common phrases include 徇私 (to comply with personal interests) and 徇法 (to follow the law).

Jason Recommends

Not sure what to learn after 徇?

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