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准 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
准zhǔnto allowHSK 4, v, 10 strokes, radical 冫, rank #1288, Medium
准zhǔnto grantHSK 4, v, 10 strokes, radical 冫, rank #1288, Medium
准zhǔnin accordance withHSK 4, v, 10 strokes, radical 冫, rank #1288, Medium
准zhǔnin the light ofHSK 4, v, 10 strokes, radical 冫, rank #1288, Medium
准zhǔnhorizontal (old)HSK 4, v, 10 strokes, radical 冫, rank #1288, Medium
准zhǔnaccurateHSK 4, v, 10 strokes, radical 冫, rank #1288, Medium
准zhǔnstandardHSK 4, v, 10 strokes, radical 冫, rank #1288, Medium
准zhǔndefinitelyHSK 4, v, 10 strokes, radical 冫, rank #1288, Medium
准zhǔncertainlyHSK 4, v, 10 strokes, radical 冫, rank #1288, Medium
准zhǔnabout to become (bride, son-in-law etc)HSK 4, v, 10 strokes, radical 冫, rank #1288, Medium
准zhǔnquasi-HSK 4, v, 10 strokes, radical 冫, rank #1288, Medium
准zhǔnpara-HSK 4, v, 10 strokes, radical 冫, rank #1288, Medium
准zhǔnstandard, accurate; to permit, to approve, to allowHSK 4, v, 10 strokes, radical 冫, rank #1288, Medium
zhǔn(zhun3) T3
  1. 1to allow
  2. 2to grant
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

准(準)zhǔn(zhun3)

The character 准 (zhǔn) primarily means 'to allow' or 'to grant,' indicating permission or approval. It can also denote accuracy or standards, often used in contexts involving measurements or assessments. This character is versatile and can imply being on the verge of a state or condition, such as becoming engaged or married.

Strokes10Radical冫Frequency#1288DifficultyMedium
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, the concept of being '准' (accurate or correct) is significant, especially in business and education where precision is highly valued. The character is often used in contexts that require trust and reliability, such as agreements or contracts.

Memory Tip

Imagine a judge (the radical '刀' indicating action or decision) granting permission (准) to a couple about to get married. The judge's gavel symbolizes authority and accuracy, connecting the idea of correctness with the character's meaning.

Meanings of 准

zhǔn(zhun3)
1to allow
2to grant
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 准

准Simplified
準Traditional
10Strokes
冫Radical
形容词xíngróngcíadjective (adj.)Part of Speech
#1288Frequency Rank
HSK 3.0L4ElementaryTOCFLL3HSKKL2CEFRA2

Podcast: 准

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Podcast: 准

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AI Study Notes for 准

Quick Contrast

准确 (zhǔnquè) vs 精确 (jīngquè) — use 准 when referring to general accuracy or standards, while 准确 emphasizes correctness in a more specific or precise context.

Usage Notes

Common mistakes include confusing 准 with 许可 (xǔkě, 'to permit'), which has a slightly different usage context. It is usually used in formal settings, especially in legal or official documents. Pay attention to the tone; using the wrong tone can change the meaning entirely.

HSK Study Tips

While 准 is not in the HSK vocabulary list, it is closely related to words like 准确 (zhǔnquè, 'accurate') and 准时 (zhǔnshí, 'on time'). Students should focus on how it forms compounds and its various meanings for better comprehension.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 准 with 允许 (yǔnxǔ, 'to allow'), leading to incorrect usage in contexts where permission is implied. Instead of saying 准我去 (zhǔn wǒ qù), which is incorrect, use 允许我去 (yǔnxǔ wǒ qù).

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 准

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Etymology of 准

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

Simplified form of 準. Phonosemantic compound. 氵 represents the meaning and 隼 represents the sound. The 氵 (water) component is used because level tools that ensure flatness take advantage of water having a flat surface.

Memory Hint

water in a spirit level

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

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 准

Simplified form of 準. Phonosemantic compound. 氵 represents the meaning and 隼 represents the sound. The 氵 (water) component is used because level tools that ensure flatness take advantage of water having a flat surface.

  1. 1The meaning half冫 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half隹 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
  3. 3The giveawaywater in a spirit level
  4. 4On the record aspictophonetic.

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

Want the full history of 准? 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 准?

Decomposition of 准

IDS Structure⿰冫隹
准Full Character
=
冫bing1
left
隹zhui1
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 准?

How to say to allow in Chinese

“to allow” in Chinese is准zhǔn

The character 准 (zhǔn) primarily means 'to allow' or 'to grant,' indicating permission or approval. It can also denote accuracy or standards, often used in contexts involving measurements or assessments. This character is versatile and can imply being on the verge of a state or condition, such as becoming engaged or married.

When to use 准

Common mistakes include confusing 准 with 许可 (xǔkě, 'to permit'), which has a slightly different usage context. It is usually used in formal settings, especially in legal or official documents. Pay attention to the tone; using the wrong tone can change the meaning entirely.

准 or something close to it

准确 (zhǔnquè) vs 精确 (jīngquè) — use 准 when referring to general accuracy or standards, while 准确 emphasizes correctness in a more specific or precise context.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 准 with 允许 (yǔnxǔ, 'to allow'), leading to incorrect usage in contexts where permission is implied. Instead of saying 准我去 (zhǔn wǒ qù), which is incorrect, use 允许我去 (yǔnxǔ wǒ qù).

Write 准

准

Practice writing 准 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 准

准 functions as an adverb — it modifies a verb, adjective, or another adverb. In Chinese, adverbs sit BEFORE the verb they modify (我也去, 他常常迟到), never after it. It carries 13 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 lessons6
Exercise 1 of 4

Complete the Sentence

老师为学生们____备了很多练习。

The teacher prepared many exercises for the students.

Example Sentences for 准 (10)

Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
我工作非常有效率，处事果断，而且判断准确。

wǒ gōng zuò fēi cháng yǒu xiào shuài， ， chǔ shì guǒ， duàn ， ér qiě pàn duàn。

I work very efficiently and am decisive, and accurate in my judgement.
2
许多学生并未做好接受高等教育的充分准备。

xǔ duō xué shēng bìng wèi zuò hǎo jiē shòu gāo děng jiào yù de chōng fēn zhǔn bèi。

Many students are not adequately prepared for higher education.
3
飞机获准降落于不伦瑞克的格林科机场。

fēi jī huò zhǔn jiàng luò yú bù lún ruì kè de gé lín kē jī cháng。

The plane had been cleared for landing at Brunswick's Glynco Airport.
4
你不准打我的孙子孙女，明白吗？

nǐ bù zhǔn dǎ wǒ de sūn zǐ sūn nǚ， ， míng bái？

You do not hit my grandchildren, do you understand?
5
你将会无法忍受所遭遇的伪善和双重标准。

nǐ jiāng huì wú fǎ rěn shòu suǒ zāo yù de wěi shàn hé shuāng zhòng biāo zhǔn。

You'll have little patience with the hypocrisy and double standards you encounter.
6
他们的休闲服系列瞄准的是追求时髦的13到25岁青少年。

tā mén de xiū xián fú xì liè miáo zhǔn de shì zhuī qiú shí máo de13 1325 dào 25 suì qīng。

Their range of leisurewear is aimed at fashion-conscious 13 to 25 year-olds.
7
我们目睹了一家人正在收拾家当准备离开的凄惨景象。

wǒ mén mù dǔ le yī jiā rén zhèng zài shōu shí jiā dāng zhǔn bèi lí kāi de qī cǎn jǐng xiàng。

We encountered the pathetic sight of a family packing up its home.
8
《伦敦标准晚报》报址几年前迁走了。

《 《 lún dūn biāo zhǔn wǎn》 bào 》 bào zhǐ jī nián qián qiān。

The London Evening Standard moved offices a few years ago.
9
该报违反了保护隐私的行为准则。

gāi bào wéi fǎn le bǎo hù yǐn sī de háng wéi zhǔn zé。

The newspaper breached the code of conduct on privacy.
10
去年11月，委员会核准了这宗交易。

qù nián11 11， yuè ， wěi yuán huì hé zhǔn le zhè zōng。

Last November the commission gave its stamp of approval to the deal.

Word Family of 准

Words Containing This Character20
准备zhǔnbèipreparation準備
标准biāozhǔnnorm標準
准zhǔnaccurate準
批准pīzhǔnto approve
准确zhǔnquèaccurate準確
不准bùzhǔnnot to allow
瞄准miáozhǔnto target瞄準
准时zhǔnshíon time準時
准则zhǔnzénorm準則
水准shuǐzhǔnstandard水準
基准jīzhǔnnorm基準
标准化standardization標準化
对准duìzhǔnto aim at對準
核准to authorize
准许zhǔnxǔto allow准許
准确性accuracy準確性
获准to obtain permission獲准
准备金reserve fund準備金
准考证(exam) admission ticket准考證
校准to calibrate校準
Exercise 1 of 4

Compound Meaning

What does 准备 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 准

In a wedding context, 准 can imply that a person is about to become a bride or groom, indicating an upcoming commitment.

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