劲 meaning and stroke order
Strong, tough, unyielding; power, energy
How to write 劲, stroke by stroke
7 strokes in order. Each box adds the next stroke in red. Write top to bottom and left to right, and finish enclosing strokes last.
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
- 7
Meaning of 劲
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- strength
- energy
- enthusiasm
- spirit
- mood
- expression
- stalwart
- sturdy
- strong
- powerful
How 劲 is built
Phono-semantic (sound + meaning) character. Strength.
力 gives the meaning.
Radical: 力 (strength), shared by 44 characters on this site.
How to remember 劲
劲 is pictophonetic: the right side 力 (lì, strength) gives the meaning, and the left side hints at the sound. Picture a flexed arm 力 pushing hard, and you have 劲 (jìn), the energy you put into something.
In everyday speech 劲 (jìn) means strength or enthusiasm, often with 儿 in northern speech, as in 使劲 (shǐjìn) and 有劲儿 (yǒujìnr). 没劲 (méijìn) is common slang for something boring. Example: 这部电影真没劲。(Zhè bù diànyǐng zhēn méijìn.) This movie is really boring.
Common mistake: Learners often read every 劲 as jìn, but in formal words meaning powerful or sturdy it is jìng, as in 强劲 (qiángjìng). Also do not confuse 劲 with 动 (dòng, move), which has 力 on the right too but a different left side.
Common words with 劲
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 使劲 | shǐjìn | to exert all one's strength | HSK 4 |
| 有劲儿 | yǒujìnr | HSK 4 | |
| 没劲 | méijìn | to have no strength; to feel weak | HSK 7-9 |
| 费劲 | fèijìn | to require effort; strenuous | HSK 7-9 |
| 强劲 | qiángjìng | strong; powerful | HSK 7-9 |
| 起劲 | qǐjìn | energetic; vigorous; enthusiastic | HSK 7-9 |
| 较劲 | jiàojìn | to match one's strength with; to compete | HSK 7-9 |
| 劲头 | jìntóu | enthusiasm; zeal | HSK 7-9 |
| 一个劲儿 | yīgejìnr | erhua variant of 一個勁|一个劲[yi1 ge4 jin4] | HSK 7-9 |
| 不对劲 | bùduìjìn | not right; amiss; to feel uncomfortable or unwell | |
| 差劲 | chàjìn | bad; no good | |
| 对劲 | duìjìn | suitable; to one's liking; to get along well; to be compatible | |
| 劲儿 | jìnr | erhua variant of 勁|劲[jin4] | |
| 带劲 | dàijìn | energetic; exciting; of interest |
劲 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Questions about 劲
How many strokes are in 劲?
劲 is written with 7 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 劲 mean?
劲 (jìn) means strong, tough, unyielding; power, energy. A common word with it is 使劲 (shǐjìn), meaning "to exert all one's strength".
How do you pronounce 劲?
劲 is pronounced jìn, in the fourth tone (falling).
What is the radical of 劲?
The radical of 劲 is 力, which carries the idea of "strength". Dictionaries list 劲 under this radical.
What is the traditional form of 劲?
The traditional form of 劲 is 勁. Traditional characters are used in Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau; 劲 is the simplified form used in mainland China and Singapore.
Is 劲 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 劲 is part of the HSK 4 character list in the HSK 3.0 standard.
Does 没劲 only mean having no strength?
It can mean feeling weak, but in casual conversation it usually means boring or uninteresting. You can say 这个游戏没劲 (zhège yóuxì méijìn) for a dull game.
What is the difference between 劲头 and 力气?
力气 (lìqi) is physical strength. 劲头 (jìntóu) is more about drive and enthusiasm, like the zeal someone brings to work or study.