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曛 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
曛xūntwilight; sunsetg, 18 strokes, radical 日
xūn(xun1) T1
  1. 1twilight; sunset
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

曛xūn(xun1)

The character 曛 (xūn) refers to the time of day when twilight or sunset occurs, characterized by the diminishing light and transition from day to night. It is often used in literary contexts to evoke imagery associated with the end of the day and the onset of evening.

Strokes18Radical日
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, twilight is often associated with reflection and tranquility, as seen in poetry that describes the serene beauty of the evening sky. This character can evoke feelings of nostalgia and the peaceful transition of day into night.

Memory Tip

Imagine a sun that's slowly sinking beyond the horizon, casting a warm glow over the landscape. The character 曛 is like a fading sunset, where the left side (月) represents the moon rising, and the right side (旬) suggests the passage of time, helping you remember that 'xūn' means twilight.

Meanings of 曛

xūn(xun1)
1twilight; sunset
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 曛

曛Simplified
18Strokes
日Radical
语素morpheme (morph.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 曛

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Podcast: 曛

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AI Study Notes for 曛

Usage Notes

It’s important to use 曛 in more poetic or literary contexts, as it is not commonly used in everyday conversation. Be careful not to confuse it with similar characters related to time of day, such as 日 (rì) for 'day' or 夕 (xī) for 'evening'.

HSK Study Tips

While 曛 is not part of the HSK vocabulary, understanding it can enhance your reading of literature and classical texts. Focus on recognizing how it is used in written forms, particularly in poetry or descriptions of nature.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 曛 with similar-sounding words like 旬 (xún), which means 'ten days' or 'period'. Remember that 曛 specifically refers to twilight, while 旬 has a different meaning.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 曛

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Etymology of 曛

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

sun

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

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 曛

  1. 1The meaning half日 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half熏 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
  3. 3The giveawaysun
  4. 4On the record aspictophonetic.

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

Want the full history of 曛? 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 曛?

Decomposition of 曛

IDS Structure⿰日熏
曛Full Character
=
日Ri4
left
熏xun1
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 曛?

How to say twilight; sunset in Chinese

“twilight; sunset” in Chinese is曛xūn

The character 曛 (xūn) refers to the time of day when twilight or sunset occurs, characterized by the diminishing light and transition from day to night. It is often used in literary contexts to evoke imagery associated with the end of the day and the onset of evening.

When to use 曛

It’s important to use 曛 in more poetic or literary contexts, as it is not commonly used in everyday conversation. Be careful not to confuse it with similar characters related to time of day, such as 日 (rì) for 'day' or 夕 (xī) for 'evening'.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 曛 with similar-sounding words like 旬 (xún), which means 'ten days' or 'period'. Remember that 曛 specifically refers to twilight, while 旬 has a different meaning.

Write 曛

曛

Practice writing 曛 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 曛

Words Containing This Character1
曛xūntwilight
Exercise 1 of 1

Compound Meaning

What does 曛 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 曛

The pronunciation is 'xūn', with a high level tone.

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Not sure what to learn after 曛?

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