尊 meaning and stroke order
To honor, to respect, to venerate
How to write 尊, stroke by stroke
12 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 尊
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- senior
- of a senior generation
- to honor
- to respect
- honorific
- classifier for cannons and statues
How 尊 is built
Ideographic (compound meaning) character. A hand 寸 making an offering of wine 酋.
Radical: 寸 (inch), shared by 18 characters on this site.
How to remember 尊
The top part 酋 looks like a wine jar, and the bottom 寸 is a hand. Picture a hand lifting up a jar of wine as an offering to someone you honor, and you have 尊 (zūn), to respect.
尊 mostly appears in two-character words like 尊重 (zūnzhòng), 尊敬 (zūnjìng) and 尊严 (zūnyán) rather than on its own. Example: 我们要尊重别人。(Wǒmen yào zūnzhòng biérén.) We should respect other people.
Common mistake: Learners often confuse 尊 with 遵 (zūn, to obey, as in 遵守 zūnshǒu), which has the same sound but adds the walking radical 辶. Use 尊 for respecting people and 遵 for following rules.
Common words with 尊
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 尊重 | zūnzhòng | to esteem; to respect | HSK 5 |
| 尊敬 | zūnjìng | to respect; to revere; to esteem; honorable; distinguished (used on formal occasions befor | HSK 5 |
| 尊严 | zūnyán | dignity; sanctity | HSK 7-9 |
| 自尊 | zìzūn | self-respect; self-esteem | HSK 7-9 |
| 尊贵 | zūnguì | respected; respectable | HSK 7-9 |
| 自尊心 | zìzūnxīn | self-respect; self-esteem | HSK 7-9 |
| 令尊 | lìngzūn | Your esteemed father (honorific) | |
| 至尊 | zhìzūn | the most honorable; the most respected | |
| 尊崇 | zūnchóng | to revere; to admire | |
| 悉听尊便 | xītīngzūnbiàn | (idiom) do as you see fit; do whatever you like | |
| 本尊 | běnzūn | (Buddhism) yidam (one's chosen meditational deity); the principal object of worship on a B |
尊 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Characters that contain 尊
Learning 尊 makes these easier to recognize and write.
Questions about 尊
How many strokes are in 尊?
尊 is written with 12 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 尊 mean?
尊 (zūn) means to honor, to respect, to venerate. A common word with it is 尊重 (zūnzhòng), meaning "to esteem; to respect".
How do you pronounce 尊?
尊 is pronounced zūn, in the first tone (high and level).
What is the radical of 尊?
The radical of 尊 is 寸, which carries the idea of "inch". Dictionaries list 尊 under this radical.
Is 尊 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 尊 is part of the HSK 5 character list in the HSK 3.0 standard.
What is the difference between 尊重 and 尊敬?
尊重 (zūnzhòng) means to respect someone's rights, opinions or choices, and it works between equals. 尊敬 (zūnjìng) shows looking up to someone, such as teachers, elders or leaders.
How is 尊 used as a classifier?
尊 can count large, heavy objects like statues and cannons. For example, 一尊佛像 (yì zūn fóxiàng) means one Buddha statue.