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March 24, 2026
禁jīn(jin1)
The character 禁 (jīn) primarily means 'to prohibit' or 'to forbid.' It is commonly used in contexts involving restrictions or bans, such as laws or regulations. Additionally, it can also imply enduring or restraining oneself from certain actions or desires.
Strokes13Radical示Frequency#4360DifficultyHard
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, the concept of 禁 is often associated with traditional values around self-restraint and discipline, which can be seen in practices such as meditation or fasting.
Memory Tip
Imagine a 'gate' (阝) that 'prohibits' entry to certain places, representing the idea of forbidding access. The '禁' character visually represents this barrier, while the pronunciation 'jīn' can be remembered by thinking of a 'gin' that you 'endure' instead of drinking.
Meanings of 禁
jīn(jin1)
primary
1to endure
2to prohibit
Exercise 1 of 2
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About 禁
禁Simplified
13Strokes
示Radical
动词dòngcíverb (v.)Part of Speech
#4360Frequency Rank
Podcast: 禁
Podcast: 禁
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AI Study Notes for 禁
Quick Contrast
禁 (jīn) vs 阻 (zǔ) — use 禁 for prohibiting an action, while 阻 implies stopping or hindering progress.
Memory Mnemonic
Imagine a 'gate' (阝) that 'prohibits' entry to certain places, representing the idea of forbidding access. The '禁' character visually represents this barrier, while the pronunciation 'jīn' can be remembered by thinking of a 'gin' that you 'endure' instead of drinking.
Usage Notes
Be mindful of the formal context in which 禁 is used, especially in legal or official documents. Common collocations include 禁止 (jīnzhǐ), meaning 'to prohibit,' and 禁烟 (jīnyān), meaning 'no smoking.' Students often confuse 禁 with 近 (jìn), which means 'near'—pay attention to the context to avoid mix-ups.
HSK Study Tips
Although 禁 is not currently featured in HSK levels, it connects with other verbs expressing actions or restrictions—such as 限 (xiàn, to limit). Students should focus on understanding its use in formal contexts and common phrases.
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, the concept of 禁 is often associated with traditional values around self-restraint and discipline, which can be seen in practices such as meditation or fasting.
Common Mistakes
Learners often mistakenly use 禁 in casual situations where a softer term like 不允许 (bù yǔnxǔ, not allowed) would be more appropriate. For example, saying '我禁你做这个' (Wǒ jīn nǐ zuò zhège) instead of '我不允许你做这个' (Wǒ bù yǔnxǔ nǐ zuò zhège).
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 禁
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Grammar Patterns of 禁
禁 functions as a verb — the action or state of the sentence. The Chinese order is Subject + Verb + Object (我吃饭). Negate it with 不 (habitual / future) or 没(有) (completed action). Add aspect markers like 了, 过, 着 directly after the verb. It carries 4 related meanings, each with its own usage notes below. The patterns below break down its most common sentence frames, with example sentences and practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) for each one.
If he is caught again he will be given a custodial sentence.
Cultural Notes for 禁
💡Did you know?
'禁' is often used in Chinese law and regulations indicating prohibitions, such as '禁烟' (no smoking) or '禁入' (no entry).
🏮Cultural insight
In Chinese culture, the concept of 禁 is often associated with traditional values around self-restraint and discipline, which can be seen in practices such as meditation or fasting.
🌏Cross-cultural Insight
In Western cultures, prohibitions may be viewed more as individual rights issues, while in China, they are often seen as collective societal responsibilities.
Word Family of 禁
Compounds6
襟jin1lapel, collar
噤jin4close; quiet, silent
僸
凚
澿
齽
Words Containing This Character20
禁止jìnzhǐto prohibit
禁jīnto prohibit
不禁bùjīncan't help (doing sth)
禁区jìnqūrestricted area禁區
监禁to imprison監禁
严禁yánjìnto strictly prohibit嚴禁
囚禁to imprison
情不自禁qíngbúzìjīncannot help
禁令ban
禁忌jìnjìtaboo
宵禁night curfew
禁毒drug prohibition
禁不住jīnbuzhùcan't help it
禁锢to confine禁錮
拘禁constraint
禁欲to suppress desire禁慾
软禁house arrest軟禁
违禁prohibited違禁
关禁闭to put in detention (a soldier, a pupil)關禁閉
解禁to lift a prohibition
Exercise 1 of 4
Compound Meaning
What does 襟 mean?
Frequently Asked Questions about 禁
禁 (jīn) is often used interchangeably with other words like 不允许 (bù yǔn xǔ) which means 'not allowed'. However, 禁 usually implies a stronger sense of restriction, often used in legal or formal contexts.
Some common phrases that include 禁 are 禁止 (jìn zhǐ), which means 'prohibit', and 禁忌 (jìn jì), which means 'taboo'. These phrases are often used in both written and spoken Chinese.
禁 can be used in various contexts to express prohibition. For example, you can say '禁止进入' (jìn zhǐ jìn rù) which means 'forbidden to enter'. It's also used in formal regulations or laws.
禁 (jīn) means to prohibit or to forbid. It is often used in contexts where something is restricted or not allowed. For example, 禁烟 (jīn yān) means 'no smoking'.
You can say 禁止吸烟 (jīnzhǐ xīyān), which means 'smoking is prohibited.'
Yes, 禁 typically carries a negative connotation, implying restrictions or limitations.
Synonyms include 阻止 (zǔzhǐ, to stop) and 限制 (xiànzhì, to limit).
