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旬 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
旬xúnten daysHSK 7, zg, 6 strokes, radical 日, rank #28103, Very Hard
旬xúnten yearsHSK 7, zg, 6 strokes, radical 日, rank #28103, Very Hard
旬xúnfull periodHSK 7, zg, 6 strokes, radical 日, rank #28103, Very Hard
旬xúnten-day period; period of timeHSK 7, zg, 6 strokes, radical 日, rank #28103, Very Hard
xún(xun2)xun T2
  1. 1ten days
  2. 2ten years
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

旬xún(xun2)

旬 (xún) refers to a period of ten days, commonly used to denote a specific time frame in calendars or schedules. It can also imply a decade (ten years), highlighting its use in temporal contexts. This character is often encountered in discussions about time management or traditional Chinese calendars.

Strokes6Radical日Frequency#28103DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note

In traditional Chinese culture, the calendar is divided into 10-day periods, known as '旬', which are significant for agricultural activities and festivals. This reflects the importance of precise timekeeping in farming societies.

Memory Tip

Imagine a calendar split into three sections of ten days each. The character 旬 looks like a person (亻) standing next to a 'ten' (十), symbolizing a full period of ten days. Picture this person organizing their time effectively within those ten-day segments.

Meanings of 旬

xún(xun2)
1ten days
2ten years
Exercise 1 of 2

By ear

Play it, then pick what 旬 means.

About 旬

旬Simplified
6Strokes
日Radical
状态词stative word (stat.)Part of Speech
#28103Frequency Rank
HSK 3.0L7

Podcast: 旬

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Podcast: 旬

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AI Study Notes for 旬

Usage Notes

Be careful not to confuse 旬 with similar time-related characters like 月 (month) or 年 (year). It is used in both formal and informal contexts, but is more common in written Chinese. Common collocations include '旬报' (ten-day report) and '旬刊' (ten-day publication).

HSK Study Tips

Although not included in HSK levels, understanding 旬 can enhance your grasp of time-related vocabulary, especially in HSK 3 or 4. Focus on its use in temporal expressions, and practice with phrases that involve days and weeks.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 旬 with similar characters like 星期 (week) or 月 (month), leading to incorrect usage. For example, saying '我在这个旬去旅行' (I will travel during this week) should be corrected to '我在这个星期去旅行' (I will travel this week).

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 旬

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Etymology of 旬

Formation TypeIdeographic 指事
六书 ClassificationIdeograph (指事字)~2% of characters
Explanation

Originally a pictograph of an earthworm, now written as 螾, used here since the word for earthworm sounded similar to 旬. Later the meaning component (日) was added.

Memory Hint

A cycle 勹 of ten days 日; a traditional week

Learn more about Ideograph (指事字) characters
Exercise 1 of 1

Origin

What kind of character is 旬?

Decomposition of 旬

IDS Structure⿹勹日
旬Full Character
=
勹bao1
enclosing
日Ri4
inner
Exercise 1 of 2

Parts

Which of these is part of 旬?

How to say ten days in Chinese

“ten days” in Chinese is旬xún

旬 (xún) refers to a period of ten days, commonly used to denote a specific time frame in calendars or schedules. It can also imply a decade (ten years), highlighting its use in temporal contexts. This character is often encountered in discussions about time management or traditional Chinese calendars.

When to use 旬

Be careful not to confuse 旬 with similar time-related characters like 月 (month) or 年 (year). It is used in both formal and informal contexts, but is more common in written Chinese. Common collocations include '旬报' (ten-day report) and '旬刊' (ten-day publication).

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 旬 with similar characters like 星期 (week) or 月 (month), leading to incorrect usage. For example, saying '我在这个旬去旅行' (I will travel during this week) should be corrected to '我在这个星期去旅行' (I will travel this week).

Write 旬

旬

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

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Grammar Patterns of 旬

旬 carries 4 distinct meanings. Below you'll find the patterns that show how it combines with other words, plus example sentences pulled directly from native usage.

Exercise 1 of 4

Fill the gap

Type the missing word. Pinyin works; then pick the character.

现在是11月中____,天气寒冷而且经常有雾。

It was now the middle of November, cold and often foggy.

Example Sentences for 旬 (10)

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1
现在是11月中旬,天气寒冷而且经常有雾。

xiàn zài shì11 11 yuè zhōng, xún , tiān qì hán lěng ér qiě jīng cháng。

It was now the middle of November, cold and often foggy.
2
3个月的限期截至6月中旬。

3 3 gè yuè de xiàn qī jié6 zhì 6 yuè。

The three month time limit will be up in mid-June.
3
虽已年届九旬,她依然头脑敏锐,个性很强。

suī yǐ nián jiè jiǔ xún, , tā yī rán tóu nǎo mǐn, ruì , gè xìng。

Into her nineties, her thinking remained acute and her character forceful.
4
国民警卫队和预备役的征兵工作8月下旬开始。

guó mín jǐng wèi duì hé yù bèi yì de zhēng bīng gōng zuò8 8 yuè xià xún kāi。

The call-up of National Guard and reserve units begun in late August.
5
她已经是八旬老人了,还很精神.

tā yǐ jīng shì bā xún lǎo rén le, , huán hěn jīng.

She is very active for an octogenarian.
6
他年已八旬, 但仍老当益壮.

tā nián yǐ bā xún, , dàn réng lǎo dāng yì.

He is eighty, but still hale and hearty.
7
她已经是八旬老人了,还很精神。

tā yǐ jīng shì bā xún lǎo rén le, , huán hěn jīng。

She is a very active octogenarian.
8
那位 七旬 老人健步走进公园.

nà wèi qī xún lǎo rén jiàn bù zǒu jìn.

That 70 - year - old man walked into the park with vigorous strides.
9
他们在3月中旬发起了准备已久的攻势.

tā mén zài3 3 yuè zhōng xún fā qǐ le zhǔn bèi yǐ jiǔ de gōng.

Their long - prepared offensive was launched in the middle of March.
10
还是十月上旬, 但初霜已经把枫叶染上了金黄.

huán shì shí yuè shàng xún, , dàn chū shuāng yǐ jīng bǎ fēng yè rǎn shàng le jīn.

It was early October, but a crispiny frost had already stamped the maple trees with gold.

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Word Family of 旬

Compounds27
询xun2to ask about
殉xun4martyr; to die for a cause
绚xuan4variegated, adorned; brilliant
峋xun2foothill, mountain range
郇huan2an ancient feudal state in Shaanxi province
徇xun4to follow, to comply with; to display
侚
恂xun2careful; honest, sincere; to trust
惸
栒
洵xun2true, real; truly, really
珣
眴
荀Xun2plant, herb; surname
迿
銞
咰
姰
毥
狥
筍sun3bamboo shoots
箰
絢xuan4variegated, adorned; brilliant
詢xun2to ask about, to inquire into; to consult
賯
銁
駨
Words Containing This Character9
中旬zhōngxúnmiddle third of a month
旬xúnten days
下旬xiàxúnlast third of the month
上旬shàngxúnfirst third of a month
旬日short period
旬阳县Xunyang County in Ankang 安康[An​kāng], Shaanxi旬陽縣
旬邑县Xunyi County in Xianyang 咸陽|咸阳[Xián​yáng], Shaanxi旬邑縣
旬阳Xunyang County in Ankang 安康[An​kāng], Shaanxi旬陽
旬邑Xunyi County in Xianyang 咸陽|咸阳[Xián​yáng], Shaanxi
Exercise 1 of 4

Characters with 旬

What does 询 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 旬

It is pronounced as 'xún', with a rising tone.

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