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隕 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
隕yǔnto slip, to fall; to drop; to diex, 12 strokes, radical 阝
yǔn(yun3) T3
  1. 1to slip, to fall; to drop; to die
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

隕yǔn(yun3)

The character 隕 (yǔn) primarily means 'to slip' or 'to fall,' often used in contexts where something drops unexpectedly. It can also refer to a more figurative sense of 'dying' or 'perishing,' particularly in literature or formal writing. This character evokes a sense of loss or a sudden change in state.

Strokes12Radical阝
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, falling objects or meteor showers are often linked to omens or significant events, which is reflected in the character's usage. For instance, stories of falling stars (流星) are often associated with wishes or significant changes.

Memory Tip

Imagine a meteor (隕石) slipping through the sky and falling to the earth. The top part of the character 隕 resembles a person (亻) slipping, while the bottom part (云) can be visualized as clouds, hinting at something falling from the sky.

Meanings of 隕

yǔn(yun3)
1to slip, to fall; to drop; to die
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 隕

隕Simplified
12Strokes
阝Radical
非语素字non-morpheme character (n-m.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 隕

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Podcast: 隕

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AI Study Notes for 隕

Usage Notes

Learners often confuse 隕 with similar characters like 陨, which also means 'to fall' but is used specifically for meteorites. Be mindful of the formal register when using this character, as it is often found in literary or historical contexts rather than casual conversation.

HSK Study Tips

While 隕 is not officially listed in the HSK vocabulary, it connects with other HSK words related to nature and events, such as 跌 (diē - to fall) and 死 (sǐ - to die). Focus on the nuances of falling or dying in different contexts to grasp its usage better.

Common Mistakes

Learners often mistakenly write 陨 instead of 隕 when referring to falling objects. Remember that 隕 has a broader meaning that can include metaphorical uses like dying or perishing.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 隕

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Etymology of 隕

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

Phonosemantic compound. 阝 represents the meaning and 员 represents the sound. Simplified form of 隕.

Memory Hint

place

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

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 隕

Phonosemantic compound. 阝 represents the meaning and 员 represents the sound. Simplified form of 隕.

  1. 1The meaning half阝 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half員 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
  3. 3The giveawayplace
  4. 4On the record aspictophonetic.

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

Want the full history of 隕? 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 隕?

Decomposition of 隕

IDS Structure⿰阝員
隕Full Character
=
阝yi4
left
員yuan2
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 隕?

How to say to slip, to fall; to drop; to die in Chinese

“to slip, to fall; to drop; to die” in Chinese is隕yǔn

The character 隕 (yǔn) primarily means 'to slip' or 'to fall,' often used in contexts where something drops unexpectedly. It can also refer to a more figurative sense of 'dying' or 'perishing,' particularly in literature or formal writing. This character evokes a sense of loss or a sudden change in state.

When to use 隕

Learners often confuse 隕 with similar characters like 陨, which also means 'to fall' but is used specifically for meteorites. Be mindful of the formal register when using this character, as it is often found in literary or historical contexts rather than casual conversation.

What learners get wrong

Learners often mistakenly write 陨 instead of 隕 when referring to falling objects. Remember that 隕 has a broader meaning that can include metaphorical uses like dying or perishing.

Write 隕

隕

Practice writing 隕 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 隕

Words Containing This Character5
陨石yǔnshímeteorite隕石
陨yǔnto fall隕
陨落to fall down隕落
陨星meteorite隕星
陨石坑meteorite impact crater隕石坑
Exercise 1 of 4

Compound Meaning

What does 陨石 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 隕

You can say '隕石落下' (yǔn shí luò xià) meaning 'a meteor fell down.'

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