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鉴 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
鉴jiànexampleHSK 7, p, 13 strokes, radical 金, rank #9246, Very Hard
鉴jiànmirrorHSK 7, p, 13 strokes, radical 金, rank #9246, Very Hard
鉴jiànto viewHSK 7, p, 13 strokes, radical 金, rank #9246, Very Hard
鉴jiànreflectionHSK 7, p, 13 strokes, radical 金, rank #9246, Very Hard
鉴jiànto reflectHSK 7, p, 13 strokes, radical 金, rank #9246, Very Hard
鉴jiànto inspectHSK 7, p, 13 strokes, radical 金, rank #9246, Very Hard
鉴jiànto warnHSK 7, p, 13 strokes, radical 金, rank #9246, Very Hard
鉴jiàn(ancient bronze mirror)HSK 7, p, 13 strokes, radical 金, rank #9246, Very Hard
鉴jiànmirror, looking glass; to reflectHSK 7, p, 13 strokes, radical 金, rank #9246, Very Hard
鉴jiànold variant of 鑒HSK 7, p, 13 strokes, radical 金, rank #9246, Very Hard
jiàn(jian4)jian T4
  1. 1example
  2. 2mirror
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March 24, 2026

鉴(鋻)jiàn(jian4)

The character 鉴 (jiàn) primarily means 'mirror' or 'reflection.' It can refer to both a physical mirror and the act of reflecting on something, such as an idea or experience. This character is often used in contexts involving inspection, evaluation, or warning, highlighting its metaphorical use in reflecting on past actions or decisions.

Strokes13Radical金Frequency#9246DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural note

In Chinese culture, mirrors (鉴) have historical significance, often used in literature and philosophy to symbolize self-reflection and moral evaluation. This is evident in classic texts where characters use mirrors to gain insights into their virtues or flaws.

Memory tip

Imagine looking into a shiny mirror (鉴) that not only shows your reflection but also allows you to reflect on your past actions. The character has a key component that resembles an eye (见), suggesting seeing or viewing, thus linking it to its meaning of inspection and reflection.

Meanings of 鉴

jiàn(jian4)
1example
2mirror
Exercise 1 of 2

By ear

Play it, then pick what 鉴 means.

About 鉴

鉴Simplified
鋻Traditional
13Strokes
金Radical
介词jiècípreposition (prep.)Part of Speech
#9246Frequency Rank
HSK 3.0L7

Podcast: 鉴

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Podcast: 鉴

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AI study notes for 鉴

Quick Contrast

鉴 (jiàn) vs 观 (guān) — use 鉴 when emphasizing reflection or evaluation, while 观 focuses on observation or viewing.

Usage Notes

Be cautious with the tone when pronouncing 鉴 (jiàn), as it differs from similar-sounding characters. It's often used in formal contexts, such as literature or discussions about ethics. Common collocations include '鉴别' (to identify) and '鉴赏' (to appreciate).

HSK Study Tips

Although 鉴 is not in the HSK vocabulary list, it connects well with words at HSK Level 4 and above that involve inspection or evaluation, such as 观察 (to observe) and 评价 (to evaluate). Focus on its usage in formal writing and discussions.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 鉴 (jiàn) with similar characters like 见 (jiàn), which means 'to see.' For example, saying '我用见看' (I use to see to look) instead of '我用鉴看' (I use the mirror to look) is incorrect. Always ensure you use the correct character based on its meaning.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 鉴

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Etymology of 鉴

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

metal

Semantic (meaning)金
Learn more about Phono-semantic (形声字) characters
Exercise 1 of 1

Origin

What kind of character is 鉴?

Decomposition of 鉴

IDS Structure⿱？金
鉴Full character
=
金Jin1
top
Exercise 1 of 1

Parts

Which of these is part of 鉴?

How to say example in Chinese

“example” in Chinese is鉴jiàn

The character 鉴 (jiàn) primarily means 'mirror' or 'reflection.' It can refer to both a physical mirror and the act of reflecting on something, such as an idea or experience. This character is often used in contexts involving inspection, evaluation, or warning, highlighting its metaphorical use in reflecting on past actions or decisions.

When to use 鉴

Be cautious with the tone when pronouncing 鉴 (jiàn), as it differs from similar-sounding characters. It's often used in formal contexts, such as literature or discussions about ethics. Common collocations include '鉴别' (to identify) and '鉴赏' (to appreciate).

鉴 or something close to it

鉴 (jiàn) vs 观 (guān) — use 鉴 when emphasizing reflection or evaluation, while 观 focuses on observation or viewing.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 鉴 (jiàn) with similar characters like 见 (jiàn), which means 'to see.' For example, saying '我用见看' (I use to see to look) instead of '我用鉴看' (I use the mirror to look) is incorrect. Always ensure you use the correct character based on its meaning.

Write 鉴

鉴

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

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Grammar patterns of 鉴

鉴 functions as a preposition (often called a "coverb" in Chinese). It introduces a phrase that comes BEFORE the main verb (我在家吃饭, 给妈妈打电话), unlike English which puts prepositions after the verb. It carries 10 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.

Related grammar lessons2
Exercise 1 of 3

Fill the gap

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

____于他的表现良好，学校决定允许他回来上课。

In view of his good performance, the school has decided to allow him to return to class.

Example sentences for 鉴 (10)

Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
这门学位课程经电气工程师学院鉴定完全合格。

zhè mén xuéwèi kèchéng Jīng diàn qì gōngchéngshī xuéyuàn jiàndìng wánquán hégé。

This degree programme is fully accredited by the Institution of Electrical Engineers.
2
这一新技术已经被用来鉴别胎儿的性别。

zhè yī xīn jìshù yǐjīng bèi yònglái jiànbié tāi’ér de xìngbié。

The new technique has been used to identify the sex of foetuses.
3
更有鉴别力的游客现在往往避开该地区。

gèng yǒu jiànbié lì de yóukè xiànzài wǎngwǎng bì kāi gāi dìqū。

More discriminating visitors now tend to shun the area.
4
威廉是个有鉴赏力的人，对于品质的优劣很有眼光。

wēi lián shì gè yǒu jiànshǎng lì de rén， duìyú pǐnzhì de yōu liè hěn yǒu yǎnguāng。

William was a man of discernment, with an eye for quality.
5
他那双黑色高筒靴被擦得光鉴照人。

tā nà shuāng hēisè gāo tǒng xuē bèi cā de guāng jiàn zhào rén。

His high black boots had been shined to a gleaming finish.
6
音乐鉴赏力差的人怎么会有那么多?

yīnyuè jiànshǎng lì chà de rén zěnme huì yǒu nàme duō?

How could so many people have such bad taste in music?
7
他试着在图书馆里找过各种历书、年鉴和报纸。

tā shì zhe zài túshūguǎn lǐ zhǎo guò gèzhǒng lì shū、 nián jiàn hé bàozhǐ。

He tried the various almanacs, annuals and gazettes which were held in the library.
8
只有地散磷是目前尚未正式鉴定的有机磷酸盐除莠剂.

zhǐyǒu dì sǎn lín shì mùqián shàngwèi zhèngshì jiàndìng de yǒujī lín suān yán chú yǒu jì.

Bensulide is the only presently registered herbicidal organophosphate.
9
来自同位素年龄鉴定的证据指出,绿岩带在年龄上彼此变化相当大.

láizì tóng wèi sù niánlíng jiàndìng de zhèngjù zhǐchū, lǜ yán dài zài niánlíng shàng bǐcǐ biànhuà xiāngdāng dà.

Evidence from isotopic dating suggests that the greenstone belts vary considerably in age.
10
他一边向与会者解释,一边把钞票举到耶利米亚眼前,让他鉴定.

tā yìbiān xiàng yǔ huì zhě jiěshì, yìbiān bǎ chāopiào jǔ dào yē lì mǐ yà yǎnqián, ràng tā jiàndìng.

He explained to the Council , at the same time extending the note for leremia to examine.

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Word Family of 鉴

Words containing this character20
鉴定jiàndìngto appraise鑑定
鉴于jiànyúin view of鑒於
借鉴jièjiànto draw on (others' experience)借鑒
鉴jiànexample鑑
鉴别jiànbiéto differentiate鑑別
年鉴niánjiànyearbook年鑑
有鉴于此yǒujiànyúcǐin view of this有鑒於此
鉴赏jiànshǎngto appreciate鑑賞
前车之鉴qiánchēzhījiànto learn a lesson from the mistakes of one's predecessor (idiom)前車之鑒
亲子鉴定qīnzǐjiàndìngpaternity or maternity test親子鑒定
印鉴yìnjiànstamp印鑒
鉴赏家jiànshǎngjiāconnoisseur鑒賞家
品鉴pǐnjiànto judge品鑒
资治通鉴zīzhìtōngjiànA Mirror for the Wise Ruler (or Comprehensive Mirror for Aid in Government), a vast chronological general history, written by 司馬光|司马光[Sī​mǎ​Guāng] Sima Guang (1019-1089) and collaborators during the Northern Song in 1084, covering the period 403 BC-959 AD資治通鑒
鉴真jiànzhēnJianzhen or Ganjin (688-763), Tang dynastic Buddhist monk, who crossed to Japan after several unsuccessful attempts, influential in Japanese Buddhism鑒真
图鉴tújiànillustrated handbook圖鑒
评鉴píngjiànevaluation評鑒
赏鉴shǎngjiànto appreciate (a work of art)賞鑒
油光可鉴yóuguāngkějiànlustrous油光可鑒
鉴往知来jiànwǎngzhīláito observe the past to foresee the future (idiom, taken loosely from Book of Songs); studying ancient wisdom gives insight into what is to come鑒往知來
Exercise 1 of 4

Words with 鉴

What does 鉴定 mean?

Frequently asked questions about 鉴

It is pronounced as 'jiàn' with a falling tone.

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