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运 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
运yùnto moveHSK 5, n, 7 strokes, radical 辶, rank #2104, Hard
运yùnto transportHSK 5, n, 7 strokes, radical 辶, rank #2104, Hard
运yùnto useHSK 5, n, 7 strokes, radical 辶, rank #2104, Hard
运yùnto applyHSK 5, n, 7 strokes, radical 辶, rank #2104, Hard
运yùnfortuneHSK 5, n, 7 strokes, radical 辶, rank #2104, Hard
运yùnluckHSK 5, n, 7 strokes, radical 辶, rank #2104, Hard
运yùnfateHSK 5, n, 7 strokes, radical 辶, rank #2104, Hard
运yùnto run; ship, transport; fortune, luckHSK 5, n, 7 strokes, radical 辶, rank #2104, Hard
yùn(yun4) T4
  1. 1to move
  2. 2to transport
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026
运(運)yùn(yun4)

The character 运 (yùn) primarily means 'to move' or 'to transport' and is often used in contexts involving logistics or usage. Additionally, it conveys concepts related to 'fortune' or 'luck', indicating both physical movement and abstract ideas of fate or destiny, making it versatile in everyday language as well as in philosophical discussions.

Strokes7Radical辶Frequency#2104DifficultyHard
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture,运 (yùn) is often associated with good fortune and is a common theme in superstitions and traditional beliefs, such as feng shui, where the flow of energy is believed to affect one's luck and destiny.

Memory Tip

Think of 运 (yùn) as a 'running' cart (the radical 运 resembles a cart) carrying both goods (transport) and a lucky charm (fortune) inside. Imagine a cart that moves swiftly, bringing good luck wherever it goes, helping you remember both its pronunciation and meaning.

Meanings of 运

yùn(yun4)
1to move
2to transport
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 运

运Simplified
運Traditional
7Strokes
辶Radical
名词míngcínoun (n.)Part of Speech
#2104Frequency Rank
HSK 3.0L5IntermediateHSKKL3CEFRB2

Podcast: 运

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Podcast: 运

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AI Study Notes for 运

Quick Contrast

运 (yùn) vs 送 (sòng) — use 运 for general movement or transport, while 送 specifically implies sending something to someone.

Memory Mnemonic

Think of 运 (yùn) as a 'running' cart (the radical 运 resembles a cart) carrying both goods (transport) and a lucky charm (fortune) inside. Imagine a cart that moves swiftly, bringing good luck wherever it goes, helping you remember both its pronunciation and meaning.

Usage Notes

When using 运, be careful not to confuse it with similar-sounding words related to movement or luck. It is commonly used in both formal and informal contexts, like 运气 (yùnqì) for 'luck' and 运输 (yùnshū) for 'transportation'. Pay attention to pronunciation, especially the fourth tone, to avoid misunderstandings.

HSK Study Tips

运 is relevant at HSK Level 3 and connects to other words like 运气 (yùnqì - luck) and 运输 (yùnshū - transportation). Students should practice using 运 in various sentence structures to become comfortable with its different meanings and contexts.

Cultural Note

In Chinese culture,运 (yùn) is often associated with good fortune and is a common theme in superstitions and traditional beliefs, such as feng shui, where the flow of energy is believed to affect one's luck and destiny.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 运 with 运用 (yùnyòng), which specifically means 'to apply' or 'to utilize'. For example, saying '我运这个技能' (I move this skill) instead of '我运用这个技能' (I apply this skill) is incorrect.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 运

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Etymology of 运

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

Phonosemantic compound. 辶 represents the meaning and 云 represents the sound. Simplified form of 運.

Memory Hint

walk

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

Character Formation Type

What type of character formation is 运?

Decomposition of 运

IDS Structure⿺辶云
运Full Character
=
辶chuo4
enclosing
云yun2
inner
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 运?

Write 运

运

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

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Grammar Patterns of 运

运 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 8 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.

Related grammar lessons6
Exercise 1 of 4

Complete the Sentence

你____动前应该活动一下儿身体。

You should warm up before exercising.

Example Sentences for 运 (10)

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1
我认为像慢跑、举重这样的运动不符合自然规律。

wǒ rèn wéi xiàng màn pǎo、 、 jǔ zhòng zhè yàng de yùn dòng bù fú hé zì rán guī。

I consider activities such as jogging and weightlifting as unnatural.
2
面对遭征服的悲惨命运，他们保持了乐观的态度。

miàn duì zāo zhēng fú de bēi cǎn mìng yùn， ， tā mén bǎo chí le lè guān de tài。

They have maintained their optimism in the face of desolating subjugation.
3
无论今世还是来生，好运都会伴随你。

wú lùn jīn shì huán shì lái shēng， ， hǎo yùn dū huì bàn suí。

Good fortune will follow you, both in this world and the next.
4
你的750英镑要是还有的剩就真是运气了。

nǐ de750 750 yīng bàng yào shì huán yǒu de shèng jiù zhēn shì yùn qì。

You'll be lucky to have change out of £
5
你可以把行李直接托运到终点。

nǐ kě yǐ bǎ háng lǐ zhí jiē tuō yùn dào zhōng diǎn。

You can check your baggage right through to its final destination.
6
女子链球运动还不是主要的赛事。

nǚ zǐ liàn qiú yùn dòng huán bù shì zhǔ yào de sài shì。

Hammer-throwing for women is not yet a major event.
7
他们办完行李托运，到候机室找了座位坐下。

tā mén bàn wán háng lǐ tuō yùn， ， dào hòu jī shì zhǎo le zuò wèi zuò。

They checked in their luggage and found seats in the departure lounge.
8
命运已经决定了他们的性格为人。

mìng yùn yǐ jīng jué dìng le tā mén de xìng gé wéi rén。

Destiny has ordained that they are who they are.
9
脚蹬帅气钉靴的足球运动员走进了球场。

jiǎo dēng shuài qì dīng xuē de zú qiú yùn dòng yuán zǒu jìn le qiú cháng。

Footballers in whopping great studded boots walk over the pitch.
10
设置这门课程是为了指导学生如何运用色彩和构图。

shè zhì zhè mén kè chéng shì wéi le zhǐ dǎo xué shēng rú hé yùn yòng sè cǎi hé gòu tú。

The course is designed to help students with colour and composition.

Cultural Notes for 运

🏮Cultural insight

In Chinese culture,运 (yùn) is often associated with good fortune and is a common theme in superstitions and traditional beliefs, such as feng shui, where the flow of energy is believed to affect one's luck and destiny.

Word Family of 运

Words Containing This Character20
运动yùndòngto move運動
幸运xìngyùnfortunate幸運
好运hǎoyùngood luck好運
运yùnto move運
命运mìngyùnfate命運
运行yùnxíng(fig.) to function運行
运气yùnqiluck (good or bad)運氣
运用yùnyòngto use運用
运输yùnshūtransport運輸
运动员yùndòngyuánathlete運動員
运作yùnzuòto operate運作
运营yùnyíngto be in operation運營
走运lucky走運
奥运Olympic Games奧運
奥运会àoyùnhuìOlympic Games奧運會
运转yùnzhuǎnto work運轉
运送yùnsòngto transport運送
亚运会yàyùnhuìAsian Games亞運會
客运kèyùn(Tw) intercity bus客運
春运(increased) passenger transportation around Chinese New Year春運
Exercise 1 of 4

Compound Meaning

What does 运动 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 运

Common phrases include 运气 (yùnqì - luck) and 运输 (yùnshū - transportation).