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掾 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
掾yuàna general designation of officialsg, 12 strokes, radical 扌, rank #93209, Very Hard
掾yuànofficialunknown, 12 strokes, radical 扌, rank #93209, Very Hard
yuàn(yuan4) T4
  1. 1a general designation of officials
  2. 2official
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

掾yuàn(yuan4)

The character 掾 (yuàn) refers to a type of official or government functionary in ancient China. It is often used in historical contexts or when discussing the bureaucratic structure of past dynasties, indicating a position of authority or responsibility.

Strokes12Radical扌Frequency#93209DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note

In ancient China, officials like the 掾 played significant roles in the civil service system, which was foundational to governance and social order. The civil service examination system that selected these officials reflects the value placed on merit and education in Chinese culture.

Memory Tip

Imagine a wise old official (the 'yuàn') sitting at a desk, with a large scroll (the radical '扌' for hand) in hand, ready to write down important decrees. The 'yuàn' sound is like 'yawn,' which you might do after reading a long official document. Picture yourself yawning over the weighty responsibilities of an official.

Meanings of 掾

yuàn(yuan4)
1a general designation of officials
2official
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 掾

掾Simplified
12Strokes
扌Radical
语素morpheme (morph.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 掾

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Podcast: 掾

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AI Study Notes for 掾

Usage Notes

While this term is primarily historical and may not be frequently used in modern contexts, it can be found in formal discussions about administrative roles. Be careful not to confuse it with more common terms for officials, like 官 (guān), and remember that its usage is typically formal.

HSK Study Tips

Although 掾 is not part of the HSK vocabulary, understanding it helps learners grasp the historical context of Chinese governance. Students should focus on recognizing similar characters that denote officials, such as 官 (guān) and 职 (zhí), to enhance their comprehension of bureaucratic terms.

Common Mistakes

Learners often misuse 掾 in casual conversation, where they might substitute it for more commonly understood terms like 官 (guān). For example, saying '我想成为一个掾' (I want to become an official) may sound awkward; instead, use '官'.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 掾

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Etymology of 掾

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

hand

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

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 掾

  1. 1The meaning half扌 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half彖 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
  3. 3The giveawayhand
  4. 4On the record aspictophonetic.

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

Want the full history of 掾? 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 掾?

Decomposition of 掾

IDS Structure⿰扌彖
掾Full Character
=
扌shou3
left
彖tuan4
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 掾?

How to say a general designation of officials in Chinese

“a general designation of officials” in Chinese is掾yuàn

The character 掾 (yuàn) refers to a type of official or government functionary in ancient China. It is often used in historical contexts or when discussing the bureaucratic structure of past dynasties, indicating a position of authority or responsibility.

When to use 掾

While this term is primarily historical and may not be frequently used in modern contexts, it can be found in formal discussions about administrative roles. Be careful not to confuse it with more common terms for officials, like 官 (guān), and remember that its usage is typically formal.

What learners get wrong

Learners often misuse 掾 in casual conversation, where they might substitute it for more commonly understood terms like 官 (guān). For example, saying '我想成为一个掾' (I want to become an official) may sound awkward; instead, use '官'.

Write 掾

掾

Practice writing 掾 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 掾

Words Containing This Character1
掾yuànofficial
Exercise 1 of 1

Compound Meaning

What does 掾 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 掾

No, 掾 is primarily a historical term and not commonly used in contemporary language.

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