Mandarin TempleCome for Knowledge. Stay for Wisdom.
Stroke order, etymology and audio for every word.Start learning
春 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
春chūnspring (time)HSK 1, tg, 9 strokes, radical 日, rank #6682, Easy
春chūngayHSK 1, tg, 9 strokes, radical 日, rank #6682, Easy
春chūnjoyfulHSK 1, tg, 9 strokes, radical 日, rank #6682, Easy
春chūnyouthfulHSK 1, tg, 9 strokes, radical 日, rank #6682, Easy
春chūnloveHSK 1, tg, 9 strokes, radical 日, rank #6682, Easy
春chūnlustHSK 1, tg, 9 strokes, radical 日, rank #6682, Easy
春chūnlifeHSK 1, tg, 9 strokes, radical 日, rank #6682, Easy
春chūnspringtime; joyful, lustful, wantonHSK 1, tg, 9 strokes, radical 日, rank #6682, Easy
春chūnold variant of 春[chūn]HSK 1, tg, 9 strokes, radical 日, rank #6682, Easy
春chūnsurname ChunHSK 1, tg, 9 strokes, radical 日, rank #6682, Easy
春chūnold variant of 春[chun1]HSK 1, unknown, 9 strokes, radical 日, rank #6682, Easy, transitive
chūn(chun1)chun T1
  1. 1spring (time)
  2. 2gay
Also a Chinese surname, Chun — see the Surname Dictionary
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

春(旾)chūn(chun1)

春 (chūn) primarily means 'spring,' referring to the season following winter and preceding summer. It symbolizes renewal, growth, and vitality, often associated with joy and love. Commonly used in contexts related to nature, festivals, and personal emotions, it embodies a sense of youthfulness and exuberance.

Strokes9Radical日Frequency#6682DifficultyEasy
Cultural note

春 is significant in Chinese culture, especially during the Spring Festival (春节), which marks the Lunar New Year and is a time for family reunions, feasting, and celebrating life and renewal.

Memory tip

Imagine a bright, colorful spring day with flowers blooming and young animals frolicking. The character 春 has a top component resembling a tree (representing growth) and a bottom part that suggests movement, like life bursting forth. Think of 'chūn' as the sound of joyous laughter echoing in the spring air.

Meanings of 春

chūn(chun1)
1spring (time)
2gay
Exercise 1 of 2

By ear

Play it, then pick what 春 means.

About 春

春Simplified
旾Traditional
9Strokes
日Radical
时间词time word (t.)Part of Speech
#6682Frequency Rank
HSK 2.0L3HSK 3.0L1TOCFLL3YCTL4HSKKL2CEFRA2

Podcast: 春

JasonAmy

Podcast: 春

Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you

AI study notes for 春

Quick Contrast

夏 (xià) - use 春 (chūn) for spring, while 夏 (xià) refers specifically to summer, the following season.

Usage Notes

Learners often confuse 春 with other seasons (like 夏 for summer) or use it incorrectly in phrases. It's primarily used in informal contexts, but can also appear in literature and poetry. Be mindful of the pronunciation, ensuring not to confuse it with other similar-sounding words.

HSK Study Tips

As an HSK Level 3 word, 春 connects well with other seasonal vocabulary. Focus on using it in sentences that describe activities or feelings associated with spring, such as festivals (e.g., 春节 for Spring Festival) and nature.

Common Mistakes

A common mistake is using 春 incorrectly in phrases that refer to other seasons, like saying '春天的雪' (spring snow) instead of '冬天的雪' (winter snow). Remember that 春 specifically refers to springtime activities and emotions.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 春

Premium — Locked

Tone practice

Pro

Drill the tone of 春, say it back, see your pitch against the model voice, and earn XP towards mastery. Interactive tone practice is part of Pro.

Tone drillsPitch drawing+5 XP
Get Pro to unlock

Jason Explains 春 to you

Let me explain 春 for you

Make it yours

Jason looks at what you watch and listen to, the checkpoints you have cleared, our lessons and what you have been exploring, and explains 春 through them.

Sign in free to make it personal. New accounts start with 200 AI credits.

How well do you know 春?

Example

Learning Lab

Knowing 春 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.

  • MeaningFree
  • CharacterFree
  • PinyinFree
  • TonePro
  • ListeningPro
  • SpeakingPro
  • WritingPro
See the Learning Lab Three facets free · no card needed

Etymology of 春

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

Phonosemantic compound. 日 represents the meaning and 屯 represents the sound.

Memory hint

sun

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

Origin

What kind of character is 春?

Decomposition of 春

IDS Structure⿱？日
春Full character
=
日Ri4
top
Exercise 1 of 1

Parts

Which of these is part of 春?

How to say spring (time) in Chinese

“spring (time)” in Chinese is春chūn

春 (chūn) primarily means 'spring,' referring to the season following winter and preceding summer. It symbolizes renewal, growth, and vitality, often associated with joy and love. Commonly used in contexts related to nature, festivals, and personal emotions, it embodies a sense of youthfulness and exuberance.

When to use 春

Learners often confuse 春 with other seasons (like 夏 for summer) or use it incorrectly in phrases. It's primarily used in informal contexts, but can also appear in literature and poetry. Be mindful of the pronunciation, ensuring not to confuse it with other similar-sounding words.

春 or something close to it

夏 (xià) - use 春 (chūn) for spring, while 夏 (xià) refers specifically to summer, the following season.

What learners get wrong

A common mistake is using 春 incorrectly in phrases that refer to other seasons, like saying '春天的雪' (spring snow) instead of '冬天的雪' (winter snow). Remember that 春 specifically refers to springtime activities and emotions.

Write 春

春

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

Write correctly 3 times to earn XP

Grammar patterns of 春

春 carries 11 distinct meanings. Below you'll find the patterns that show how it combines with other words, plus example sentences pulled directly from native usage.

Related grammar lessons6
Exercise 1 of 4

Fill the gap

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

____天的时候，花开得很漂亮。

In spring, the flowers bloom beautifully.

Example sentences for 春 (34)

Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
tgspring (time)16
1
春天的时候，花开得很漂亮。

Chūntiān de shíhou, huā kāi de hěn piàoliang.

In spring, the flowers bloom beautifully.
2
春天来了，天气变暖了。

Chūntiān lái le, tiānqì biàn nuǎn le.

Spring has come, and the weather has warmed up.
3
我喜欢春天的阳光和风。

Wǒ xǐhuan chūntiān de yángguāng hé fēng.

I like the sunshine and wind in spring.
4
春天是种花的好时机。

Chūntiān shì zhòng huā de hǎo shíjī.

Spring is a good time to plant flowers.
5
春天的时候，花开得很漂亮。

Chūntiān de shíhou, huā kāi de hěn piàoliang.

In spring, the flowers bloom beautifully.
6
春天来了，天气变暖了。

Chūntiān lái le, tiānqì biàn nuǎn le.

Spring has come, and the weather has warmed up.
7
我喜欢春天的阳光和风。

Wǒ xǐhuan chūntiān de yángguāng hé fēng.

I like the sunshine and wind in spring.
8
春天是种花的好时机。

Chūntiān shì zhòng huā de hǎo shíjī.

Spring is a good time to plant flowers.
9
春天的时候，花开得很漂亮。

Chūntiān de shíhou, huā kāi de hěn piàoliang.

In spring, the flowers bloom beautifully.
10
春天来了，天气变暖了。

Chūntiān lái le, tiānqì biàn nuǎn le.

Spring has come, and the weather has warmed up.
11
我喜欢春天的阳光和风。

Wǒ xǐhuan chūntiān de yángguāng hé fēng.

I like the sunshine and wind in spring.
12
春天是种花的好时机。

Chūntiān shì zhòng huā de hǎo shíjī.

Spring is a good time to plant flowers.
13
春天的时候，花开得很漂亮。

Chūntiān de shíhou, huā kāi de hěn piàoliang.

In spring, the flowers bloom beautifully.
14
春天来了，天气变暖了。

Chūntiān lái le, tiānqì biàn nuǎn le.

Spring has come, and the weather has warmed up.
15
我喜欢春天的阳光和风。

Wǒ xǐhuan chūntiān de yángguāng hé fēng.

I like the sunshine and wind in spring.
16
春天是种花的好时机。

Chūntiān shì zhòng huā de hǎo shíjī.

Spring is a good time to plant flowers.
tgold variant of 春[chūn]18
17
我让马低下头啃吃春天的青草。

wǒ ràng mǎ dīxià tóu kěn chī chūntiān de qīng cǎo。

I let the horse drop his head to crop the spring grass.
18
从许多方面来说，表演无疑是吃青春饭的行当。

cóng xǔduō fāngmiàn lái shuō， biǎoyǎn wúyí shì chī qīngchūn fàn de hángdang。

Acting is definitely a young person's profession in many ways.
19
这节诗描绘了春天来临的三个征兆。

zhè jié shī miáohuì le chūntiān láilín de sāngè zhēng zhào。

This verse describes three signs of spring.
20
如果不去动的话，冬萝卜会在春天开花结籽。

rúguǒ bù qù dòng dehuà， dōng luóbo huì zài chūntiān kāihuā jié zǐ。

If unused, winter radishes run to seed in spring.
21
我和两个朋友在大学春假期间开车去了佛罗里达。

wǒ hé liǎng gè péngyou zài dàxué chūn jiàqī jiān kāichē qù le fó luō lǐ dá。

Two friends and I drove to Florida during college spring break.
22
我看他的这个经理当不到春天之后了。

wǒ kàn tā de zhège jīnglǐ dāng bù dào chūntiān zhīhòu le。

I wouldn't lay bets on his still remaining manager after the spring.
23
自从他来上大学后，我就对他春心萌动。

zìcóng tā lái shàng dàxué hòu， wǒ jiù duì tā chūn xīn méng dòng。

I've had the hots for him ever since he came to college.
24
这是对他们从不曾真正拥有的青春时代的回归.

zhè shì duì tāmen cóngbù céng zhēnzhèng yōngyǒu de qīngchūn shídài de huíguī.

It's a retreat into the adolescence they never really had.
25
春天，草地上开满了黄水仙。

chūntiān， cǎodì shàng kāi mǎn le huáng shuǐ xiān。

In the spring, the meadow is a mass of daffodils.
26
为什么要宣传报道这个行为任性、青春期未满的白痴呢？

wèishénme yào xuānchuán bàodào zhège xíngwéi rénxìng、 qīngchūnqī wèi mǎn de bái chī ne？

Why give publicity to this self-indulgent, adolescent oaf?
27
春天到了，花儿都开了。

Chūntiān dào le, huā er dōu kāi le.

Spring has arrived, and the flowers are blooming.
28
春天的时候，公园里有很多人。

Chūntiān de shíhou, gōngyuán lǐ yǒu hěn duō rén.

During spring, there are many people in the park.
29
春天到了，花儿都开了。

Chūntiān dào le, huā er dōu kāi le.

Spring has arrived, and the flowers are blooming.
30
春天的时候，公园里有很多人。

Chūntiān de shíhou, gōngyuán lǐ yǒu hěn duō rén.

During spring, there are many people in the park.
31
春天到了，花儿都开了。

Chūntiān dào le, huā er dōu kāi le.

Spring has arrived, and the flowers are blooming.
32
春天的时候，公园里有很多人。

Chūntiān de shíhou, gōngyuán lǐ yǒu hěn duō rén.

During spring, there are many people in the park.
33
春天到了，花儿都开了。

Chūntiān dào le, huā er dōu kāi le.

Spring has arrived, and the flowers are blooming.
34
春天的时候，公园里有很多人。

Chūntiān de shíhou, gōngyuán lǐ yǒu hěn duō rén.

During spring, there are many people in the park.

Ask Jason

Have a question about 春?

Jason answers about this word at your level: example sentences, how it differs from similar words, and a way to remember it.

Sign in free to ask. New accounts start with 200 AI credits.

Cultural Notes for 春

💡Did you know?

In Chinese culture, spring (春) is celebrated during the Spring Festival (春节), which marks the lunar new year. It symbolizes renewal and new beginnings, as nature comes back to life after winter.

📜Proverb

A popular Chinese proverb related to spring is '春风得意' (chūn fēng dé yì), meaning 'to be successful and prosperous like the spring breeze.' It reflects a sense of optimism and hope.

Word Family of 春

Compounds17
蠢chǔnvariant of 蠢[chǔn]
椿chūnChinese toon tree; father (poetic)
蝽chūnbedbug
偆chǔn
堾chūn
媋chūn
惷chǔn
暙chūn
湷zhuāng
瑃chūn
睶chǔn
箺chūn
萶chǔn
賰chǔn
踳chuǎn
鬊shùn
鰆chūna kind of long, flat, silver-gray striped fish
Words containing this character20
春chūngay
春天chūntiānspring (season)
青春qīngchūnyouth
春节chūnjiéSpring Festival (Chinese New Year)春節
青春期qīngchūnqīpuberty
春季chūnjìspringtime
长春chángchūnChangchun subprovincial city and capital of Jilin province 吉林省 in northeast China長春
春运chūnyùn(increased) passenger transportation around Chinese New Year春運
春假chūnjiàspring break
春秋chūnqiūyear
新春xīnchūnthe beginning of Spring
常春藤chángchūnténgivy
春光chūnguāngscenes of springtime
李宇春lǐyǔchūnLi Yuchun aka Chris Lee (1984-), Chinese pop singer
春卷chūnjuǎnegg roll春捲
春梦chūnmèngspring dream春夢
春日chūnrìChunri or Chunjih township in Pingtung County 屏東縣|屏东县[Píng​dōng​Xiàn], Taiwan
春耕chūngēngto plow a field in the spring
春药chūnyàoaphrodisiac春藥
长春市chángchūnshìChangchun subprovincial city and capital of Jilin province 吉林省 in northeast China長春市
Exercise 1 of 4

Characters with 春

What does 椿 mean?

Frequently asked questions about 春

Some synonyms for 春 include '春季' (chūnjì), which means 'spring season,' and '春天' (chūntiān), meaning 'springtime.' These terms are often used interchangeably in contexts related to the season.

Jason Recommends

Not sure what to learn after 春?

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.

A sample week, replayed. Every page you study lands here in the order you did it — your own replay starts with a free account.

See the Learning Lab