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纯 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
纯chúnpureHSK 6, a, 7 strokes, radical 纟, rank #4261, Medium
纯chúnsimpleHSK 6, a, 7 strokes, radical 纟, rank #4261, Medium
纯chúnunmixedHSK 6, a, 7 strokes, radical 纟, rank #4261, Medium
纯chúngenuineHSK 6, a, 7 strokes, radical 纟, rank #4261, Medium
纯chúnpure, clean; simple, genuineHSK 6, a, 7 strokes, radical 纟, rank #4261, Medium
chún(chun2) T2
  1. 1pure
  2. 2simple
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026
纯(純)chún(chun2)

The character 纯 (chún) means 'pure' or 'genuine', often used to describe substances that are unadulterated or qualities that are sincere and straightforward. It can also refer to simplicity in a positive sense, emphasizing clarity and lack of complexity.

Strokes7Radical纟Frequency#4261DifficultyMedium
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, purity is often associated with moral integrity and sincerity, making 纯 a significant concept in discussions about character and ethics. For example, the idea of 'pure-heartedness' is highly valued in relationships and social interactions.

Memory Tip

Imagine a clear, crystal lake that is pure and untouched, representing the essence of 纯 (chún). The character has the radical for 'water' (氵), which suggests purity, just like clean water. Think of the lake as a symbol of genuineness and simplicity.

Meanings of 纯

chún(chun2)
1pure
2simple
Exercise 1 of 3

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 纯

纯Simplified
純Traditional
7Strokes
纟Radical
副形词xíngróngcíadj-adverb (adj.-adv.)Part of Speech
#4261Frequency Rank
HSK 3.0L6IntermediateTOCFLL4HSKKL2CEFRB1

Podcast: 纯

JasonAmy

Podcast: 纯

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AI Study Notes for 纯

Quick Contrast

纯 (pure) vs 清 (clear) — choose 纯 when emphasizing unadulterated quality rather than transparency.

Memory Mnemonic

Imagine a clear, crystal lake that is pure and untouched, representing the essence of 纯 (chún). The character has the radical for 'water' (氵), which suggests purity, just like clean water. Think of the lake as a symbol of genuineness and simplicity.

Usage Notes

Be careful not to confuse 纯 with similar-sounding words like '春' (chūn, spring) or '蠢' (chǔn, foolish). It is commonly used in both formal and informal contexts, particularly in descriptions of food, materials, and personal qualities, such as '纯净水' (pure water) or '纯粹的人' (a genuine person).

HSK Study Tips

While 纯 is not included in the HSK vocabulary lists, it connects to other HSK words related to qualities and descriptions, such as '简单' (jiǎndān, simple) and '真' (zhēn, true). Focus on using 纯 in contexts that emphasize authenticity and clarity.

Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, purity is often associated with moral integrity and sincerity, making 纯 a significant concept in discussions about character and ethics. For example, the idea of 'pure-heartedness' is highly valued in relationships and social interactions.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 纯 with the similar character '纯粹' (chúncuì). While 纯 refers to the quality of being pure, 纯粹 emphasizes a state of simplicity or purity in essence. For instance, saying '他是一个纯粹的人' (He is a pure person) is correct, while saying just '他是一个纯的人' can sound awkward without context.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 纯

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Etymology of 纯

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

Phonosemantic compound. 纟 represents the meaning and 屯 represents the sound. Simplified form of 純.

Memory Hint

silk

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

Character Formation Type

What type of character formation is 纯?

Decomposition of 纯

IDS Structure⿰纟屯
纯Full Character
=
纟si1
left
屯tun2
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 纯?

Write 纯

纯

Practice writing 纯 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 纯

纯 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 5 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 4

Complete the Sentence

去年，这个集团的____利润率为30%。

The group had a net profit margin of 30% last year.

Common Confusions with 纯

纯vs椿
chūn

Similar pronunciation but different meaning.

纯vs春
chūn

Similar pronunciation but different meaning.

Exercise 1 of 1

Spot the Difference

Which character means "pure"?

or

Usage Notes for 纯

Misunderstanding the meaning of 纯Common Error

Learners often confuse 纯 with other similar adjectives like 简单 (simple) or 简洁 (concise), which can lead to incorrect usage.

1

这个水是纯净的。

This water is pure.

Exercise 1 of 1

Fill in the Blank

这个水是____净的。

This water is pure.

Example Sentences for 纯 (10)

Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
去年，这个集团的纯利润率为30%。

qù nián， ， zhè gè jí tuán de chún lì rùn shuài30%。

The group had a net profit margin of 30% last year.
2
他对大自然怀有一种极为纯粹的乌托邦式看法。

tā duì dà zì rán huái yǒu yī zhǒng jí wéi chún cuì de wū tuō bāng shì kàn fǎ。

His was a utopian vision of nature in its purest form.
3
在我看来，罗伯特爵士的争辩纯属瞎说。

zài wǒ kàn lái， ， luó bó tè jué shì de zhēng biàn chún shǔ xiā。

It seemed to me that Sir Robert's arguments were nonsensical.
4
丝绸和羊毛之类的纯天然织物比合成纤维的保暖性更好。

sī chóu hé yáng máo zhī lèi de chún tiān rán zhī wù bǐ hé chéng xiān wéi de bǎo nuǎn xìng gēng hǎo。

Natural fabrics like silk and wool are better insulators than synthetics.
5
对于无家可归的人而言，私人医疗纯粹是天方夜谭。

duì yú wú jiā kě guī de rén ér yán， ， sī rén yī liáo chún cuì shì tiān fāng yè。

For the homeless, private medical care is simply out of the question.
6
强效纯可卡因是市面上最容易让人上瘾的毒品。

qiáng xiào chún kě kǎ yīn shì shì miàn shàng zuì róng yì ràng rén shàng yǐn de dú pǐn。

Crack is the most addictive drug on the market.
7
这些人纯粹是胡说八道。

zhè xiē rén chún cuì shì hú shuō bā dào。

These guys talk an awful load of old cobblers.
8
物理学并非只是一门不能直接运用的纯科学。

wù lǐ xué bìng fēi zhī shì yī mén bù néng zhí jiē yùn yòng de chún kē xué。

Physics isn't just about pure science with no immediate applications.
9
他们去那里纯粹是为了满足其病态的好奇心。

tā mén qù nà lǐ chún cuì shì wéi le mǎn zú qí bìng tài de hǎo qí xīn。

They are there only to satisfy their ghoulish curiosity.
10
我内心充满着对纯真的童年时光的怀念。

wǒ nèi xīn chōng mǎn zháo duì chún zhēn de tóng nián shí guāng de huái niàn。

I was overwhelmed with longing for those innocent days of early childhood.

Cultural Notes for 纯

🏮Cultural insight

In Chinese culture, purity is often associated with moral integrity and sincerity, making 纯 a significant concept in discussions about character and ethics. For example, the idea of 'pure-heartedness' is highly valued in relationships and social interactions.

Word Family of 纯

Compounds1
莼chun2an edible water plant; Brasenia
Words Containing This Character20
纯chúnpure純
单纯dānchúnsimple單純
纯粹chúncuìpure純粹
纯洁chúnjiépure純潔
纯属to be purely純屬
纯净pure純淨
纯真innocent and unaffected純真
纯正pure純正
纯度purity純度
清纯fresh and pure清純
纯种purebred純種
纯情a pure heart純情
纯金pure gold純金
纯朴chúnpǔsimple and honest純樸
小泉纯一郎KOIZUMI Jun'ichirō (1942-), Japanese LDP politician, prime minister 2001-2006小泉純一郎
纯白pure white純白
提纯to purify提純
炉火纯青fig. (of an art, a technique etc) brought to the point of perfection爐火純青
纯熟skillful純熟
纯利net profit純利
Exercise 1 of 4

Compound Meaning

What does 莼 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 纯

You can use it to say '这水是纯的' (This water is pure).