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氛 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
fēnmiasman, 8 strokes, radical 气, rank #42890, Very Hard
fēnvaporn, 8 strokes, radical 气, rank #42890, Very Hard
fēnair; atmospheren, 8 strokes, radical 气, rank #42890, Very Hard
fēn(fen1) T1
  1. 1miasma
  2. 2vapor
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026
fēn(fen1)

The character 氛 (fēn) refers to the atmosphere or air surrounding a particular environment. It carries connotations of a miasma or vapor, often used metaphorically to describe the general mood or ambiance in a place, such as the 'atmosphere' of a party or a tense situation.

Strokes8RadicalFrequency#42890DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, the concept of atmosphere is important in social settings; the right 氛围 can greatly enhance gatherings, festivals, and ceremonies, influencing how people interact and feel.

Memory Tip

Think of the character 氛 as a cloud (the radical 气 represents air or vapor) that surrounds us. Imagine standing in a foggy atmosphere where the air feels heavy, which helps you remember that 氛 relates to air and atmosphere.

Meanings of 氛

fēn(fen1)
1miasma
2vapor
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 氛

Simplified
8Strokes
Radical
名词míngcínoun (n.)Part of Speech
#42890Frequency Rank

Podcast: 氛

JasonAmy

Podcast:

Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you

AI Study Notes for 氛

Quick Contrast

气氛 (qìfēn) vs. 环境 (huánjìng): Use 氛 when emphasizing the mood or ambiance, while 环境 refers more broadly to the physical environment.

Memory Mnemonic

Think of the character 氛 as a cloud (the radical 气 represents air or vapor) that surrounds us. Imagine standing in a foggy atmosphere where the air feels heavy, which helps you remember that 氛 relates to air and atmosphere.

Usage Notes

Be cautious with the tone; it is pronounced fēn, with the first tone. This word is often used in more formal contexts or literary descriptions, so it may not be common in everyday conversation. Common collocations include '氛围' (fēnwéi), meaning 'atmosphere' or 'ambiance.'

HSK Study Tips

Although 氛 is not part of HSK vocabulary, it can be related to HSK Level 5 words like '气氛' (qìfēn), which means 'atmosphere.' Focus on understanding how 氛 can be used in different contexts to describe feelings or settings.

Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, the concept of atmosphere is important in social settings; the right 氛围 can greatly enhance gatherings, festivals, and ceremonies, influencing how people interact and feel.

Common Mistakes

Learners might confuse 氛 with the more commonly used 气氛 (qìfēn) and use it inappropriately. For instance, saying '我觉得这个地方的氛很好' (I think the 氛 of this place is good) is awkward; it should be '我觉得这个地方的气氛很好.'

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 氛

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Etymology of 氛

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

Phonosemantic compound. 气 represents the meaning and 分 represents the sound.

Memory Hint

air

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

Character Formation Type

What type of character formation is 氛?

Decomposition of 氛

IDS Structure⿹气分
Full Character
=
qi4
enclosing
fen1
inner
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 氛?

Write 氛

Practice writing 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 氛

氛 functions as a noun — it names a person, place, thing, or concept. Place it as a subject before the verb (主+谓) or as an object after the verb (谓+宾). Most Chinese nouns require a measure word between the number and the noun (e.g. 一个/三本). It carries 3 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.

Exercise 1 of 1

Complete the Sentence

气____十分热烈,大家频频举杯,说笑不停,非常高兴。

The atmosphere was very lively — everyone kept raising their glasses, chatting and laughing nonstop, extremely happy.

Example Sentences for 氛 (10)

Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
我的确非常喜欢这里宁静幽雅、不受打扰的氛围。

wǒ de què fēi cháng xǐ huān zhè lǐ níng jìng yōu yǎ、 、 bù shòu dǎ rǎo de fēn。

I do very much appreciate the quietness and privacy here.
2
奥尔特曼制造的一些紧张氛围开始缓解。

ào ěr tè màn zhì zào de yī xiē jǐn zhāng fēn wéi kāi shǐ huǎn jiě。

Some of the tension Altman builds up starts to sag.
3
你需要了解办公室权术是如何影响工作氛围的。

nǐ xū yào le jiě bàn gōng shì quán shù shì rú hé yǐng xiǎng gōng zuò fēn wéi de。

You need to understand how office politics influence the working environment.
4
这一餐使整个场合有了近乎节日般的喜庆氛围。

zhè yī cān shǐ zhěng gè cháng hé yǒu le jìn hū jié rì bān de xǐ qìng fēn wéi。

The meal gave the occasion an almost festive air.
5
据《好酒吧指南》所说,酒吧一般环境肮脏,气味难闻,而且气氛很不友好。

jù《 《 hǎo jiǔ bā zhǐ》 nán 》, suǒ shuō , jiǔ bā yī bān huán, jìng āng zāng ,, qì wèi nán wén , ér qiě qì。

Pubs are dirty, smelly and unfriendly, according to the Good Pub Guide.
6
我们布置好了装饰品和圣诞树,这才开始感受到圣诞节的气氛。

wǒ mén bù zhì hǎo le zhuāng shì pǐn hé shèng dàn shù, , zhè cái kāi shǐ gǎn shòu dào shèng dàn jié de qì。

We put up the decorations and the tree and started to feel Christmassy at last.
7
什么都比家里的紧张气氛好。

shí mó dū bǐ jiā lǐ de jǐn zhāng qì fēn hǎo。

Anything was preferable to the tense atmosphere at home.
8
宴会常常会因为一些非常诙谐的讲话而气氛活跃,热闹非凡。

yàn huì cháng cháng huì yīn wéi yī xiē fēi cháng huī xié de jiǎng huà ér qì fēn huó yuè, , rè nào fēi。

The dinner was often a riotous affair enlivened by superbly witty speeches.
9
你如果把事情强压在心里,家里的气氛就会更趋紧张。

nǐ rú guǒ bǎ shì qíng qiáng yā zài xīn lǐ, , jiā lǐ de qì fēn jiù huì gēng qū jǐn。

Tension in the home increases if you bottle things up.
10
表演过后会在客厅举行气氛融洽的聚会。

biǎo yǎn guò hòu huì zài kè tīng jǔ háng qì fēn róng qià de jù huì。

Following the performances there were chummy gatherings in the drawing room.

Cultural Notes for 氛

🏮Cultural insight

In Chinese culture, the concept of atmosphere is important in social settings; the right 氛围 can greatly enhance gatherings, festivals, and ceremonies, influencing how people interact and feel.

Word Family of 氛

Words Containing This Character3
气氛qìfēnmood氣氛
氛围fēnwéiambience氛圍
fēnmiasma
Exercise 1 of 3

Compound Meaning

What does 气氛 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 氛

氛 refers to the air or atmosphere in a more abstract sense, while 气氛 specifically denotes the mood or ambiance of a setting.