孫 meaning and stroke order
Grandchild, descendent; surname
How to write 孫, stroke by stroke
10 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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- 10
Meaning of 孫
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- grandson
- descendant
How 孫 is built
Ideographic (compound meaning) character. A chain 系 of descent 子.
Radical: 子 (son), shared by 30 characters on this site.
How to remember 孫
孫 puts a child 子 next to 系, a chain or line. Picture a chain of descent linking one child to the next, generation after generation, and you get grandchild.
孫 (sūn) is the traditional form, written 孙 in simplified Chinese, and it rarely stands alone. It appears in family words like 孫子 (sūnzi, grandson) and 外孫 (wàisūn, daughter's son), and it is also a very common surname. Example: 他有兩個孫子。(Tā yǒu liǎng gè sūnzi.) He has two grandsons.
Common mistake: Learners often confuse 孫 with 係 (xì), which has the same 系 part but a person radical 亻 instead of 子. Also, in 孫子 meaning grandson the second syllable is neutral tone (sūnzi), while 孫子 (Sūnzǐ) with a full third tone refers to the author of The Art of War.
Common words with 孫
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
Characters that contain 孫
Learning 孫 makes these easier to recognize and write.
Questions about 孫
How many strokes are in 孫?
孫 is written with 10 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 孫 mean?
孫 (sūn) means grandchild, descendent; surname. A common word with it is 孙子 (sūnzi), meaning "grandson; son's son".
How do you pronounce 孫?
孫 is pronounced sūn, in the first tone (high and level).
What is the radical of 孫?
The radical of 孫 is 子, which carries the idea of "son". Dictionaries list 孫 under this radical.
What is the simplified form of 孫?
孫 is a traditional character. Its simplified form is 孙, used in mainland China and Singapore.
What is the difference between 孫子 and 外孫?
孫子 (sūnzi) is your son's son, while 外孫 (wàisūn) is your daughter's son. The 外 (wài, outside) marks the child as from the daughter's side, since traditionally she married into another family.
Is 孫子 ever used as an insult?
Yes. In northern colloquial speech, calling someone 孫子 or saying 裝孫子 (zhuāng sūnzi) can be rude, implying the person is acting low or cowardly. Context makes the meaning clear, but be careful using it casually about adults.