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温 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
温Wēnsurname WenHSK 3, nr, 12 strokes, radical 氵, rank #6702, Medium
温WēnwarmHSK 3, nr, 12 strokes, radical 氵, rank #6702, Medium
温WēnlukewarmHSK 3, nr, 12 strokes, radical 氵, rank #6702, Medium
温WēntemperatureHSK 3, nr, 12 strokes, radical 氵, rank #6702, Medium
温Wēnto warm upHSK 3, nr, 12 strokes, radical 氵, rank #6702, Medium
温WēnmildHSK 3, nr, 12 strokes, radical 氵, rank #6702, Medium
温WēnsoftHSK 3, nr, 12 strokes, radical 氵, rank #6702, Medium
温WēntenderHSK 3, nr, 12 strokes, radical 氵, rank #6702, Medium
温Wēnto reviewHSK 3, nr, 12 strokes, radical 氵, rank #6702, Medium
温Wēnto reviseHSK 3, nr, 12 strokes, radical 氵, rank #6702, Medium
温WēnepidemicHSK 3, nr, 12 strokes, radical 氵, rank #6702, Medium
温Wēnto review (a lesson etc)HSK 3, unknown, 12 strokes, radical 氵, rank #6702, Medium
温Wēnfever (TCM)HSK 3, unknown, 12 strokes, radical 氵, rank #6702, Medium
温Wēnold variant of 瘟[wen1]HSK 3, unknown, 12 strokes, radical 氵, rank #6702, Medium
Wēn(Wen1)wen T1
  1. 1surname Wen
  2. 2warm
Also a Chinese surname, Wen — see the Surname Dictionary
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

温(溫)Wēn(Wen1)

The character 温 (wēn) primarily means 'warm' or 'lukewarm' and is commonly used to describe temperature, especially in contexts involving comfort. It can also refer to a gentle or tender demeanor, as well as the action of warming something up. In addition, it has meanings related to reviewing or revising, particularly in educational contexts.

Strokes12Radical氵Frequency#6702DifficultyMedium
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, the concept of warmth (温) often extends to interpersonal relationships, emphasizing the importance of warmth in hospitality and family life. The idea of a warm home is deeply ingrained in the cultural value placed on family and community connections.

Memory Tip

Imagine a cozy room (温) where the temperature is just right—not too hot, not too cold. The character 温 has the radical for water (氵) on the left, suggesting the warmth of a gentle stream. Picture yourself warming your hands over a soft, soothing fire, and you'll remember that 温 means warm.

Meanings of 温

Wēn(Wen1)
1warm
2lukewarm
Exercise 1 of 2

By ear

Play it, then pick what 温 means.

About 温

温Simplified
溫Traditional
12Strokes
氵Radical
人名míngcíproper noun (pr.n.)Part of Speech
#6702Frequency Rank
HSK 3.0L3

Podcast: 温

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Podcast: 温

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AI Study Notes for 温

Quick Contrast

温 (wēn) vs 热 (rè) — use 温 for mild warmth or comfort, while 热 indicates high temperature or heat.

Usage Notes

A common mistake is to confuse 温 with 热 (rè), which means 'hot.' Use 温 in contexts that require a softer, milder term. Additionally, 温 is often paired with terms like 温暖 (wēnnuǎn, warm) and 温度 (wēndù, temperature), which are useful in both casual and formal conversations.

HSK Study Tips

温 is not included in the HSK levels 1-6, but it connects well with other words related to temperature and feelings. Focus on its usage in everyday contexts, particularly in conversations about weather or comfort levels. Understanding this character can enhance your vocabulary around emotions and physical sensations.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 温 with 冷 (lěng), which means 'cold.' For example, saying 温水 (wēn shuǐ) means 'warm water' but mistakenly using it for 'cold water' is incorrect. Always remember 温 refers to warmth.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 温

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Etymology of 温

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

Simplified form of 溫. Phonosemantic compound. 氵 represents the meaning and 𥁕 represents the sound.

Memory Hint

water

Semantic (meaning)氵
+
Phonetic (sound)昷
Learn more about Phono-semantic (形声字) characters
Exercise 1 of 1

Origin

温 = 氵 + 昷. What kind of character does that make it?

Decomposition of 温

IDS Structure⿰氵昷
温Full Character
=
氵shui3
left
昷wen1
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Parts

Which of these is part of 温?

How to say surname Wen in Chinese

“surname Wen” in Chinese is温Wēn

The character 温 (wēn) primarily means 'warm' or 'lukewarm' and is commonly used to describe temperature, especially in contexts involving comfort. It can also refer to a gentle or tender demeanor, as well as the action of warming something up. In addition, it has meanings related to reviewing or revising, particularly in educational contexts.

When to use 温

A common mistake is to confuse 温 with 热 (rè), which means 'hot.' Use 温 in contexts that require a softer, milder term. Additionally, 温 is often paired with terms like 温暖 (wēnnuǎn, warm) and 温度 (wēndù, temperature), which are useful in both casual and formal conversations.

温 or something close to it

温 (wēn) vs 热 (rè) — use 温 for mild warmth or comfort, while 热 indicates high temperature or heat.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 温 with 冷 (lěng), which means 'cold.' For example, saying 温水 (wēn shuǐ) means 'warm water' but mistakenly using it for 'cold water' is incorrect. Always remember 温 refers to warmth.

Write 温

温

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

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Grammar Patterns of 温

温 functions as a noun — it names a person, place, thing, or concept. Place it as a subject before the verb (主+谓) or as an object after the verb (谓+宾). Most Chinese nouns require a measure word between the number and the noun (e.g. 一个/三本). It carries 14 related meanings, each with its own usage notes below. The example sentences below show it in action, with practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) on every line.

Exercise 1 of 5

Fill the gap

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

护士把体____计甩了甩,然后放到了我的腋下。

The nurse shook the thermometer and put it under my armpit.

Common Confusions with 温

温vs文
wén

Similar pronunciation, but represents a different concept.

Exercise 1 of 1

Which one

Which one means “surname Wen”?

or

Example Sentences for 温 (13)

Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
nrsurname Wen11
1
护士把体温计甩了甩,然后放到了我的腋下。

hù shì bǎ tǐ wēn jì shuǎi le shuǎi, , rán hòu fàng dào le wǒ de yè。

The nurse shook the thermometer and put it under my armpit.
2
她温柔地责备他:“你要多休息,少说话。”

tā wēn róu dì zé bèi tā:“ :“ nǐ yào duō xiū, xī , shǎo。”

She admonished him gently, "You should rest, not talk so much."
3
毛毯能让你睡得更温暖、更舒适。

máo tǎn néng ràng nǐ shuì dé gēng wēn nuǎn、 、 gēng shū。

The blanket will provide additional warmth and comfort in bed.
4
埃德温·H.康格是特命全权公使。

āi dé wēn·H. ·H. kāng gé shì tè mìng quán quán gōng。

Edwin H. Conger was envoy extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary.
5
温牛奶是细菌理想的滋生地。

wēn niú nǎi shì xì jūn lǐ xiǎng de zī shēng dì。

Warm milk is the ideal breeding ground for bacteria.
6
北边是班亚斯德桑隆温泉。

běi biān shì bān yà sī dé sāng lóng wēn quán。

To the north are the hot springs of Banyas de Sant Loan.
7
戈德温变成政治激进主义者主要是受他的影响。

gē dé wēn biàn chéng zhèng zhì jī jìn zhǔ yì zhě zhǔ yào shì shòu tā de yǐng xiǎng。

He was a major influence in converting Godwin to political radicalism.
8
温迪周一晚上过来匆匆吃了点儿饭。

wēn dí zhōu yī wǎn shàng guò lái cōng cōng chī le diǎn ér fàn。

Wendy popped in for a quick bite to eat on Monday night.
9
雾已经散了,看来是温暖晴朗的一天。

wù yǐ jīng sàn le, , kàn lái shì wēn nuǎn qíng lǎng de yī。

The fog had lifted and revealed a warm, sunny day.
10
他开始以那种少有的温柔安慰我。

tā kāi shǐ yǐ nà zhǒng shǎo yǒu de wēn róu ān wèi wǒ。

He began to comfort me with such unaccustomed gentleness.
11
温先生是我们公司的总经理,他的领导能力很强。

Wēn xiānsheng shì wǒmen gōngsī de zǒng jīnglǐ, tā de lǐngdǎo nénglì hěn qiáng.

Mr. Wen is the general manager of our company; his leadership skills are very strong.
nrwarm2
12
今天的天气很温暖,适合去公园散步。

Jīntiān de tiānqì hěn wēnnuǎn, shìhé qù gōngyuán sànbù.

Today's weather is warm, perfect for a walk in the park.
13
他给了我一个温暖的微笑。

Tā gěi le wǒ yí gè wēnnuǎn de wēixiào.

He gave me a warm smile.

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Cultural Notes for 温

💡Did you know?

In Chinese culture, the concept of '温' is not just about temperature; it also embodies the idea of comfort and gentleness, often associated with nurturing and caring relationships.

Word Family of 温

Words Containing This Character20
温暖wēnnuǎnwarm溫暖
温度wēndùtemperature溫度
温柔wēnróutender溫柔
温Wēnwarm溫
气温qìwēnair temperature氣溫
温馨wēnxīncomfort溫馨
体温tǐwēn(body) temperature體溫
温泉wēnquánspa溫泉
温和wēnhémild溫和
高温gāowēnhigh temperature高溫
温州Wenzhou prefecture level city in Zhejiang溫州
降温jiàngwēncooling降溫
低温dīwēnlow temperature低溫
温家宝Wen Jiabao (1942-), Premier of PRC from 2003-2013溫家寶
重温to review重溫
温室wēnshìgreenhouse溫室
升温shēngwēnto become hot升溫
温哥华Vancouver (city in Canada)溫哥華
温斯顿Winston (name)溫斯頓
温顺docile溫順
Exercise 1 of 4

Words with 温

What does 温暖 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 温

Synonyms for 温 include 暖 (nuǎn), which also means 'warm,' and 热 (rè), which means 'hot.' Understanding these synonyms can help you grasp the nuances of temperature-related vocabulary in Chinese.

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