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旬 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
Hanzi
Pinyin
English
Tags
旬
xún
ten days
HSK 7, zg, 6 strokes, radical 日, rank #28103, Very Hard
旬
xún
ten years
HSK 7, zg, 6 strokes, radical 日, rank #28103, Very Hard
旬
xún
full period
HSK 7, zg, 6 strokes, radical 日, rank #28103, Very Hard
旬
xún
ten-day period; period of time
HSK 7, zg, 6 strokes, radical 日, rank #28103, Very Hard
xún(xun2)xun T2
1ten days
2ten years
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March 24, 2026
旬xún(xun2)
旬 (xún) refers to a period of ten days, commonly used to denote a specific time frame in calendars or schedules. It can also imply a decade (ten years), highlighting its use in temporal contexts. This character is often encountered in discussions about time management or traditional Chinese calendars.
Strokes6Radical日Frequency#28103DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural note
In traditional Chinese culture, the calendar is divided into 10-day periods, known as '旬', which are significant for agricultural activities and festivals. This reflects the importance of precise timekeeping in farming societies.
Memory tip
Imagine a calendar split into three sections of ten days each. The character 旬 looks like a person (亻) standing next to a 'ten' (十), symbolizing a full period of ten days. Picture this person organizing their time effectively within those ten-day segments.
Meanings of 旬
xún(xun2)
1ten days
2ten years
Exercise 1 of 2
By ear
Play it, then pick what 旬 means.
About 旬
旬Simplified
6Strokes
日Radical
状态词stative word (stat.)Part of Speech
#28103Frequency Rank
HSK 3.0L7
Podcast: 旬
Podcast: 旬
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AI study notes for 旬
Usage Notes
Be careful not to confuse 旬 with similar time-related characters like 月 (month) or 年 (year). It is used in both formal and informal contexts, but is more common in written Chinese. Common collocations include '旬报' (ten-day report) and '旬刊' (ten-day publication).
HSK Study Tips
Although not included in HSK levels, understanding 旬 can enhance your grasp of time-related vocabulary, especially in HSK 3 or 4. Focus on its use in temporal expressions, and practice with phrases that involve days and weeks.
Common Mistakes
Learners often confuse 旬 with similar characters like 星期 (week) or 月 (month), leading to incorrect usage. For example, saying '我在这个旬去旅行' (I will travel during this week) should be corrected to '我在这个星期去旅行' (I will travel this week).
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 旬
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Example
Learning Lab
Knowing 旬 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.
Originally a pictograph of an earthworm, now written as 螾, used here since the word for earthworm sounded similar to 旬. Later the meaning component (日) was added.
旬 (xún) refers to a period of ten days, commonly used to denote a specific time frame in calendars or schedules. It can also imply a decade (ten years), highlighting its use in temporal contexts. This character is often encountered in discussions about time management or traditional Chinese calendars.
When to use 旬
Be careful not to confuse 旬 with similar time-related characters like 月 (month) or 年 (year). It is used in both formal and informal contexts, but is more common in written Chinese. Common collocations include '旬报' (ten-day report) and '旬刊' (ten-day publication).
What learners get wrong
Learners often confuse 旬 with similar characters like 星期 (week) or 月 (month), leading to incorrect usage. For example, saying '我在这个旬去旅行' (I will travel during this week) should be corrected to '我在这个星期去旅行' (I will travel this week).
Write 旬
旬
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Practice writing 旬 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
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Grammar patterns of 旬
旬 carries 4 distinct meanings. Below you'll find the patterns that show how it combines with other words, plus example sentences pulled directly from native usage.
Exercise 1 of 4
Fill the gap
Type the missing word. Pinyin works; then pick the character.
现在是11月中____，天气寒冷而且经常有雾。
It was now the middle of November, cold and often foggy.
