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粪 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
Hanzi
Pinyin
English
Tags
粪
fèn
manure, dung; shit, excrement
HSK 7, n, 12 strokes, radical 米, rank #8826, Very Hard
fèn(fen4)fen T4
1manure, dung; shit, excrement
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026
粪(糞)fèn(fen4)
The character 粪 (fèn) refers to manure or dung, commonly used in agricultural contexts to denote animal waste used as fertilizer. It can also colloquially refer to excrement in a vulgar manner. Understanding this term is essential for discussing farming, gardening, and waste management in Mandarin.
Strokes12Radical米Frequency#8826DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural note
In traditional Chinese agriculture, animal dung has historically been a vital resource for fertilizing crops, reflecting the importance of sustainability in Chinese farming practices. This character is often associated with rural life in China.
Memory tip
Imagine a farmer (the character's radical) holding a shovel full of dung (粪). The '口' (kǒu) inside the character reminds you of the mouth, connecting it to excrement. Picture the farmer saying 'fèn' while shoveling to make the pronunciation stick.
Meanings of 粪
fèn(fen4)
1manure, dung; shit, excrement
Exercise 1 of 2
By ear
Play it, then pick what 粪 means.
About 粪
粪Simplified
糞Traditional
12Strokes
米Radical
名词míngcínoun (n.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank
HSK 3.0L7AdvancedTOCFLL5CEFRC2
Podcast: 粪
Podcast: 粪
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AI Study Notes for 粪
Quick Contrast
屎 (shǐ) - use 粪 (fèn) when referring specifically to manure used for fertilizer, while 屎 (shǐ) is more general for excrement.
Usage Notes
Be cautious when using 粪 in conversation, as it can sound crude if used to refer to human waste. It's more appropriate in formal settings related to agriculture. Common collocations include '肥料粪' (fertilizer manure) and '牛粪' (cow dung).
HSK Study Tips
While 粪 is not part of the HSK vocabulary, it connects with agricultural terms that might appear in higher levels. Focus on using it in context, especially within discussions about farming and environmental science.
Common Mistakes
Learners often confuse 粪 with similar sounding words; for example, using '分' (fēn), which means 'to divide', instead of 粪. Always remember that 粪 specifically refers to dung.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 粪
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How Well Do You Know 粪?
Example
Learning Lab
Knowing 粪 is seven skills, not one.
Its meaning, its character, its pinyin, its tone — hearing it, saying it, writing it. The Learning Lab measures each one from your own practice, on every word you study, so you see what you actually know rather than how much you have done.
粪 = 米 + 共. What kind of character does that make it?
Decomposition of 粪
IDS Structure⿱米共
粪Full character
=
米Mi3
top
共gong4
bottom
Exercise 1 of 2
Parts
Which of these is part of 粪?
How to say manure, dung; shit, excrement in Chinese
“manure, dung; shit, excrement” in Chinese is粪fèn
The character 粪 (fèn) refers to manure or dung, commonly used in agricultural contexts to denote animal waste used as fertilizer. It can also colloquially refer to excrement in a vulgar manner. Understanding this term is essential for discussing farming, gardening, and waste management in Mandarin.
When to use 粪
Be cautious when using 粪 in conversation, as it can sound crude if used to refer to human waste. It's more appropriate in formal settings related to agriculture. Common collocations include '肥料粪' (fertilizer manure) and '牛粪' (cow dung).
粪 or something close to it
屎 (shǐ) - use 粪 (fèn) when referring specifically to manure used for fertilizer, while 屎 (shǐ) is more general for excrement.
What learners get wrong
Learners often confuse 粪 with similar sounding words; for example, using '分' (fēn), which means 'to divide', instead of 粪. Always remember that 粪 specifically refers to dung.
Write 粪
粪
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Practice writing 粪 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
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Grammar Patterns of 粪
粪 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). The example sentences below show it in action, with practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) on every line.
Exercise 1 of 4
Fill the gap
Type the missing word. Pinyin works; then pick the character.
那家伙满嘴喷____。
That guy's full of BS.
Example Sentences for 粪 (10)
Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
那家伙满嘴喷粪。
nà jiāhuo mǎn zuǐ pēn fèn。
That guy's full of BS.
2
谷仓里弥漫着新粪酸甜的气味。
gǔ cāng lǐ mímàn zhe xīn fèn suān tián de qìwèi。
The barn was filled with the sour-sweet smell of fresh dung.
3
我讨厌走进那地面满是粪迹的地方去喂狗.
wǒ tǎoyàn zǒujìn nà dìmiàn mǎn shì fèn jì de dìfang qù wèi gǒu.
I hated going into those dung - marked grounds to feed that dog.
4
清理猫粪时要带上橡胶手套。
qīnglǐ māo fèn shí yào dài shàng xiàngjiāo shǒutào。
