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March 24, 2026
孙(孫)Sūn(Sun1)
The character 孙 (Sūn) primarily means 'grandson' or 'descendant.' It is commonly used as a surname in China, and it's associated with lineage and family hierarchy. In contexts referring to descendants, it reflects the importance of family ties in Chinese culture.
Strokes6Radical子Frequency#9160DifficultyHard
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, the concept of lineage is crucial, and terms like 孙 reflect respect for ancestry and the continuation of family names. The role of grandchildren in family gatherings and traditions is significant.
Memory Tip
Think of 孙 as a 'sun' shining down on generations below it, representing the lineage that follows. The character has a child (子) under the radical for 'old' (子), indicating the relationship between grandparents and their grandchildren.
Meanings of 孙
Sūn(Sun1)
1grandson
2descendant
Exercise 1 of 2
Listen & Choose the Meaning
Choose the correct answer:
About 孙
孙Simplified
孫Traditional
6Strokes
子Radical
状态词stative word (stat.)Part of Speech
#9160Frequency Rank
Podcast: 孙
Podcast: 孙
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AI Study Notes for 孙
Quick Contrast
孙 (grandson) vs 子 (child) — use 孙 specifically for a grandchild, while 子 refers to a child in general.
Memory Mnemonic
Think of 孙 as a 'sun' shining down on generations below it, representing the lineage that follows. The character has a child (子) under the radical for 'old' (子), indicating the relationship between grandparents and their grandchildren.
Usage Notes
When using 孙 in a sentence, be mindful of its family context. It is often used in formal situations discussing family lineage. A common collocation is 孙子 (sūnzi), meaning 'grandson,' which learners might confuse with 孙 (sūn) alone.
HSK Study Tips
Although 孙 is not included in the HSK levels, students at the beginner level should focus on family-related vocabulary, as it is fundamental in Chinese culture. Understanding this character can help learners connect with discussions about family.
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, the concept of lineage is crucial, and terms like 孙 reflect respect for ancestry and the continuation of family names. The role of grandchildren in family gatherings and traditions is significant.
Common Mistakes
Learners often confuse 孙 with other family terms like 子 (child) or 侄 (nephew). For example, saying 孙子 (sūnzi) to mean 'child' is incorrect, as it specifically means 'grandson.'
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 孙
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Grammar Patterns of 孙
孙 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 5
Complete the Sentence
你不准打我的____子孙女，明白吗？
You do not hit my grandchildren, do you understand?
Common Confusions with 孙
孙vs森
sēn
Both characters have a similar structure but different meanings.
Exercise 1 of 1
Spot the Difference
Which character means "grandson"?
or
Example Sentences for 孙 (10)
Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
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?
2
他完全是出于对两个孙子的关心才继续这样做。
tā wán quán shì chū yú duì liǎng gè sūn zǐ de guān xīn cái jì xù zhè yàng zuò。
He had only gone along out of concern for his two grandsons.
3
人们可能会翻着白眼谈论那些溺爱儿孙、样样都要插手的祖母。
rén mén kě néng huì fān zháo bái yǎn tán lùn nà xiē nì ài ér sūn、 、 yàng yàng dū yào chā shǒu de zǔ。
People may roll their eyes and talk about overprotective, interfering grandmothers.
4
城堡在1859年由他的曾孙重建。
chéng bǎo zài1859 1859 nián yóu tā de zēng sūn zhòng。
The castle was rebuilt by his great grandson in
5
于是德伯跟着就加在他的本姓之上,永远成了他自己和他子孙的姓了.
yú shì dé bó gēn zháo jiù jiā zài tā de běn xìng zhī shàng, , yǒng yuǎn chéng le tā zì jǐ hé tā zǐ sūn de xìng.
And D'Uberville accordingly was annexed to his own name for himself and his heirs elernally.
6
于是德伯就加在他的本姓之上,也永远成了他自己和他子孙的姓了.
yú shì dé bó jiù jiā zài tā de běn xìng zhī shàng, , yě yǒng yuǎn chéng le tā zì jǐ hé tā zǐ sūn de xìng.
And D'Uberville accordingly was annexed to his own name for himself and his heirs eternally.
Relieved , Hsin - mei said, " Mrs. - uh - Miss Sun, how good you are!
9
孙悟空春风满面, 高登宝座.
sūn wù kōng chūn fēng mǎn miàn, , gāo dēng bǎo.
Sun Wukong , his face lit up with youthful vigour, climbed up onto his throne.
10
爷爷疼孙子.
yé yé téng sūn zǐ.
Grandpa dotes on his grandson.
Cultural Notes for 孙
🏮Cultural insight
In Chinese culture, the concept of lineage is crucial, and terms like 孙 reflect respect for ancestry and the continuation of family names. The role of grandchildren in family gatherings and traditions is significant.
Word Family of 孙
Compounds3
逊xun4to abdicate
荪sun1aromatic grass; flower, iris
狲sun1monkey
Words Containing This Character20
孙子sūnzigrandson孫子
孙Sūngrandson孫
孙女sūnnǚson's daughter孫女
子孙zǐsūnoffspring子孫
孙中山same as 孫逸仙|孙逸仙孫中山
外孙grandson外孫
孙继海Sun Jihai (1977-), Chinese footballer, played for Manchester City (2002-2008)孫繼海
外孙女daughter's daughter外孫女
孙悟空Son Goku, the main character in Dragon Ball 七龍珠|七龙珠[Qīlóngzhū]孫悟空
长孙eldest grandson長孫
公孙two-character surname Gongsun公孫
孙悦Sun Yue (1973-), PRC female pop star孫悅
孙燕姿Stefanie Sun (1978-), Singaporean singer-songwriter孫燕姿
孙权Sun Quan (reigned 222-252), southern warlord and king of state of Wu 吳|吴 in the Three Kingdoms period孫權
儿孙descendant兒孫
曾孙great-grandson曾孫
炎黄子孙descendants of the Fiery Emperor and the Yellow Emperor (i.e. Han Chinese people)炎黃子孫
孙策Sun Ce (175-200), general and major warlord of the Later Han Dynasty孫策
孙武Sun Wu, also known as Sun Tzu 孫子|孙子[Sūnzǐ] (c. 500 BC, dates of birth and death uncertain), general, strategist and philosopher of the Spring and Autumn Period (700-475 BC), believed to be the author of the “Art of War” 孫子兵法|孙子兵法[SūnzǐBīngfǎ], one of 孫武
孙坚Sun Jian (155-191), famous general at end of Han dynasty, forerunner of the southern kingdom of Wu of the Three Kingdoms孫堅
Exercise 1 of 4
Compound Meaning
What does 逊 mean?
Frequently Asked Questions about 孙
Yes, 孙 (sūn) is a common surname in China, ranking among the top surnames. It is often associated with various notable historical figures and has a rich cultural background.
孙 (sūn) refers specifically to a grandson or descendant, while 侄 (zhí) denotes a nephew. Understanding these distinctions is crucial for discussing family relations accurately in Chinese.
孙 (sūn) primarily means 'grandson' or 'descendant'. It can also refer to the surname 'Sun', which is a common family name in China. In a broader context, it denotes a sense of lineage or ancestry.
To use 孙 (sūn) in sentences, you can refer to someone's grandson by saying '我的孙子' (wǒ de sūnzi), which means 'my grandson'. You can also use it in a more formal context when discussing family lineage or heritage.
No, 孙 can refer to grandchildren in general, including granddaughters, but it specifically denotes male descendants.
Yes, it can refer to any descendant, but it is more frequently used in family names.
It is pronounced as Sūn, with a high and level tone.
