Skip to content
Start your Chinese Learning JourneyStart Now
潯 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
潯xúnsteep river bankzg, 15 strokes, radical 氵
xún(xun2) T2
  1. 1steep river bank
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

潯xún(xun2)

The character 潯 (xún) refers to a steep river bank or a riverbank that has a sharp incline. It is often used in poetic or literary contexts to describe natural landscapes, particularly those with rushing water and dramatic terrain. In modern usage, it may not be commonly encountered outside of specific literary works or names.

Strokes15Radical氵
Cultural Note

The concept of riverbanks is significant in Chinese culture, often symbolizing boundaries and transitions in both physical and metaphorical senses. Many Chinese poems celebrate the beauty of nature, including steep riverbanks, illustrating the deep connection between the landscape and Chinese artistic expression.

Memory Tip

Imagine a steep river bank where the water rushes down. The left part of the character, '氵', represents water, and the right part '旬' can remind you of the sun setting over this steep bank. You can visualize the sun making the steep bank shine as the water flows beneath it.

Meanings of 潯

xún(xun2)
1steep river bank
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 潯

潯Simplified
15Strokes
氵Radical
状态词stative word (stat.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 潯

JasonAmy

Podcast: 潯

Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you

AI Study Notes for 潯

Usage Notes

This character is relatively uncommon and may not appear in everyday conversation. It's often found in literary contexts, so ensure you understand the context when using it. Be mindful of its pronunciation; it shares similar tones with other characters, which can lead to confusion.

HSK Study Tips

Although 潯 is not included in the HSK vocabulary lists, it connects to themes of nature and landscape, which are prevalent in HSK materials. Focus on recognizing this character in poetry or discussions about nature to enhance your understanding of its usage.

Common Mistakes

Learners may confuse 潯 with similar-sounding characters like 寻 (xún, to search). For example, saying '我在潯一个人' instead of '我在寻一个人' (I am looking for someone) shows a mix-up in meaning. Always double-check the context to ensure you're using the correct character.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 潯

Premium — Locked

AI tone practice

Pro

Drill the tone of 潯 with AI-powered exercises, get instant feedback, and earn XP toward mastery. Interactive tone practice is part of Pro.

Tone drillsInstant feedback+5 XP
See plans to unlock

Etymology of 潯

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

water

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

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 潯

  1. 1The meaning half氵 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half尋 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
  3. 3The giveawaywater
  4. 4On the record aspictophonetic.

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

Want the full history of 潯? 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 潯?

Decomposition of 潯

IDS Structure⿰氵尋
潯Full Character
=
氵shui3
left
尋xun2
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 潯?

How to say steep river bank in Chinese

“steep river bank” in Chinese is潯xún

The character 潯 (xún) refers to a steep river bank or a riverbank that has a sharp incline. It is often used in poetic or literary contexts to describe natural landscapes, particularly those with rushing water and dramatic terrain. In modern usage, it may not be commonly encountered outside of specific literary works or names.

When to use 潯

This character is relatively uncommon and may not appear in everyday conversation. It's often found in literary contexts, so ensure you understand the context when using it. Be mindful of its pronunciation; it shares similar tones with other characters, which can lead to confusion.

What learners get wrong

Learners may confuse 潯 with similar-sounding characters like 寻 (xún, to search). For example, saying '我在潯一个人' instead of '我在寻一个人' (I am looking for someone) shows a mix-up in meaning. Always double-check the context to ensure you're using the correct character.

Write 潯

潯

Practice writing 潯 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 潯

Words Containing This Character3
浔xúnsteep bank潯
浔阳区Xunyang district of Jiujiang city 九江市, Jiangxi潯陽區
南浔区Nanxun district of Huzhou city 湖州市[Hú​zhōu​shì], Zhejiang南潯區
Exercise 1 of 3

Compound Meaning

What does 浔 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 潯

No, 潯 is rarely used in daily speech and is primarily found in literary contexts.

Jason Recommends

Not sure what to learn after 潯?

Jason picks three words from your level and explains why each one is worth your time next. It takes a free account so he knows what you already know.