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診 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
診zhěnto diagnose; to examine a patientx, 12 strokes, radical 言
zhěn(zhen3) T3
  1. 1to diagnose; to examine a patient
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March 24, 2026

診zhěn(zhen3)

The character 診 (zhěn) means 'to diagnose' or 'to examine a patient' in medical contexts. It is commonly used in healthcare settings, particularly when discussing the assessment of a patient's condition or identifying illnesses. This character emphasizes the act of careful observation and analysis in diagnosing health issues.

Strokes12Radical言
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, traditional medicine plays an important role alongside Western practices, making the concept of diagnosis deeply rooted in both historical and contemporary health practices. Understanding this character can give insights into the blend of traditional and modern medical approaches in China.

Memory Tip

Imagine a doctor holding a magnifying glass (the radical 言, meaning 'speech' or 'words') while examining a patient. The doctor, with a serious expression, says 'zhěn' as he investigates the patient's symptoms, emphasizing the thoroughness of diagnosis.

Meanings of 診

zhěn(zhen3)
1to diagnose; to examine a patient
Exercise 1 of 2

By ear

Play it, then pick what 診 means.

About 診

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

Podcast: 診

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Podcast: 診

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AI Study Notes for 診

Quick Contrast

診 (zhěn) vs 断 (duàn) — use 診 when referring specifically to medical diagnosis, while 断 is more general and can mean to judge or determine without the medical context.

Usage Notes

Be careful not to confuse 診 (zhěn) with 诊 (zhěn), which has similar pronunciation but is used in different contexts. This character is used in formal medical terminology, so it’s best suited for situations involving healthcare professionals.

HSK Study Tips

Though 診 is not currently listed in the HSK levels, it can be related to medical vocabulary that students encounter when studying health-related topics. Focus on its usage in phrases and contexts related to healthcare to reinforce understanding.

Common Mistakes

Learners often mispronounce 診 as 'jǐn', which changes the meaning entirely. Always remember the correct pronunciation is 'zhěn'. Additionally, some may incorrectly use it in non-medical contexts, which can lead to confusion.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 診

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Etymology of 診

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

speech

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

Origin

診 = 言 + 㐱. What kind of character does that make it?

Decomposition of 診

IDS Structure⿰言㐱
診Full Character
=
言yan2
left
㐱zhen3
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Parts

Which of these is part of 診?

How to say to diagnose; to examine a patient in Chinese

“to diagnose; to examine a patient” in Chinese is診zhěn

The character 診 (zhěn) means 'to diagnose' or 'to examine a patient' in medical contexts. It is commonly used in healthcare settings, particularly when discussing the assessment of a patient's condition or identifying illnesses. This character emphasizes the act of careful observation and analysis in diagnosing health issues.

When to use 診

Be careful not to confuse 診 (zhěn) with 诊 (zhěn), which has similar pronunciation but is used in different contexts. This character is used in formal medical terminology, so it’s best suited for situations involving healthcare professionals.

診 or something close to it

診 (zhěn) vs 断 (duàn) — use 診 when referring specifically to medical diagnosis, while 断 is more general and can mean to judge or determine without the medical context.

What learners get wrong

Learners often mispronounce 診 as 'jǐn', which changes the meaning entirely. Always remember the correct pronunciation is 'zhěn'. Additionally, some may incorrectly use it in non-medical contexts, which can lead to confusion.

Write 診

診

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

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Word Family of 診

Words Containing This Character20
诊断zhěnduàndiagnosis診斷
诊所zhěnsuǒclinic診所
急诊室emergency room急診室
门诊ménzhěnoutpatient service門診
确诊quèzhěnto make a definite diagnosis確診
诊zhěnto examine or treat medically診
急诊jízhěnemergency call急診
就诊jiùzhěnto see a doctor就診
会诊huìzhěnconsultation (medical)會診
诊治to diagnose and treat診治
诊疗diagnosis and treatment診療
诊室consulting room診室
出诊house call出診
复诊further diagnosis復診
候诊室waiting room (at clinic, hospital)候診室
听诊器stethoscope聽診器
问诊(TCM) interrogation, one of the four methods of diagnosis 四診|四诊[sì​zhěn]問診
候诊awaiting treatment候診
转诊to transfer (a patient for treatment in a different hospital)轉診
应诊to hold a surgery應診
Exercise 1 of 4

Words with 診

What does 诊断 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 診

The pinyin is 'zhěn', where 'zh' is pronounced like 'j' in 'judge', and 'ěn' has a nasal tone.

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