坟 meaning and stroke order
Grave; tomb; embankment
How to write 坟, 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.
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Meaning of 坟
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- grave
- tomb
- embankment
- mound
- ancient book
How 坟 is built
Phono-semantic (sound + meaning) character. Earth.
土 gives the meaning and 文 hints at the sound.
Radical: 土 (soil), shared by 183 characters on this site.
How to remember 坟
坟 is earth 土 (tǔ) on the left with 文 (wén) on the right giving the sound. Picture a mound of earth with words 文 carved on a headstone, and you have a grave.
In everyday speech 坟 usually means a grave mound, and it appears in words like 坟墓 (fénmù) tomb and 坟场 (fénchǎng) cemetery. A common phrase is 上坟 (shàng fén), visiting a grave to pay respects, often during the Qingming festival. Example: 清明节我们去上坟。(Qīngmíng jié wǒmen qù shàng fén.) We visit the graves on Qingming.
Common mistake: Learners sometimes read 坟 as wén because of the 文 component, but the correct reading is fén with a second tone. Also do not confuse it with 墓 (mù), which is a more formal word for tomb and is written with 莫 over 土.
Common words with 坟
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
坟 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Questions about 坟
How many strokes are in 坟?
坟 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 坟 mean?
坟 (fén) means grave; tomb; embankment. A common word with it is 坟墓 (fénmù), meaning "grave; tomb".
How do you pronounce 坟?
坟 is pronounced fén, in the second tone (rising).
What is the radical of 坟?
The radical of 坟 is 土, which carries the idea of "soil". Dictionaries list 坟 under this radical.
What is the traditional form of 坟?
The traditional form of 坟 is 墳. Traditional characters are used in Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau; 坟 is the simplified form used in mainland China and Singapore.
Is 坟 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 坟 is part of the HSK 7-9 character list in the HSK 3.0 standard.
What is the difference between 坟 and 墓?
坟 often refers to the raised earth mound over a grave and sounds more everyday. 墓 is more formal and appears in words like 墓地 (mùdì) graveyard. Together they form 坟墓 (fénmù), a general word for tomb.
Is 坟 an unlucky or taboo word to say?
It is not taboo, but it is linked to death, so people avoid using it casually in happy settings like weddings. In the context of tomb sweeping or family customs, words like 上坟 (shàng fén) are perfectly normal.