損 meaning and stroke order
To damage, to harm
How to write 損, stroke by stroke
13 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 損
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- (bound form) to decrease; to diminish
- (bound form) to harm; to damage
- (coll.) to ridicule; to deride
- (coll.) mean; nasty; sarcastic
How 損 is built
Phono-semantic (sound + meaning) character. Hand.
扌 gives the meaning and 員 hints at the sound.
Radical: 扌 (hand), shared by 342 characters on this site.
How to remember 損
損 combines a hand 扌 with 員 (yuán), which gives the sound. Picture a hand reaching in and taking away from a group of people 員, leaving it smaller and damaged.
損 (sǔn) is a bound form in formal words about loss and damage, such as 损失 (sǔnshī) and 损坏 (sǔnhuài). In casual speech it can also mean mean or sarcastic, as in 你真损 (nǐ zhēn sǔn), you're so mean. Example: 这次地震造成了很大的损失。(Zhè cì dìzhèn zàochéng le hěn dà de sǔnshī.) This earthquake caused great losses.
Common mistake: Learners often confuse 損 with 員 (yuán) or 圓 (yuán) because of the shared component, but only 損 has the hand 扌 on the left. The tone is third tone sǔn, not first tone sūn like 孙 (sūn).
Common words with 損
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 損失 | sǔnshī | loss; damage | HSK 5 |
| 損害 | sǔnhài | harm; to damage | HSK 5 |
| 損壞 | sǔnhuài | to damage; to injure | HSK 7-9 |
| 損傷 | sǔnshāng | to harm; to damage | HSK 7-9 |
| 磨損 | mósǔn | to suffer wear and tear; to deteriorate through use; to wear out | HSK 7-9 |
| 虧損 | kuīsǔn | deficit; (financial) loss | HSK 7-9 |
| 損人利己 | sǔnrén-lìjǐ | harming others for one's personal benefit (idiom); personal gain to the detriment of other | HSK 7-9 |
| 受損 | shòusǔn | to suffer damage | |
| 完好無損 | wánhǎowúsǔn | in good condition; undamaged | |
| 損毀 | sǔnhuǐ | to damage; to wreck; to destroy | |
| 破損 | pòsǔn | to become damaged | |
| 有損 | yǒusǔn | to be harmful (to) | |
| 腦損傷 | nǎosǔnshāng | brain damage | |
| 無損 | wúsǔn | to do no harm (to sth); intact |
Questions about 損
How many strokes are in 損?
損 is written with 13 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 損 mean?
損 (sǔn) means to damage, to harm. A common word with it is 损失 (sǔnshī), meaning "loss; damage".
How do you pronounce 損?
損 is pronounced sǔn, in the third tone (dipping).
What is the radical of 損?
The radical of 損 is 扌, which carries the idea of "hand". Dictionaries list 損 under this radical.
What is the simplified form of 損?
損 is a traditional character. Its simplified form is 损, used in mainland China and Singapore.
What is the difference between 损坏 and 损害?
损坏 (sǔnhuài) is usually used for physical objects breaking, like a phone or a machine. 损害 (sǔnhài) is more abstract and is used for health, interests, or reputation.
Can 損 be used to insult or tease someone?
Yes. In spoken Chinese, 损 can mean to make fun of someone, as in 别损我了 (bié sǔn wǒ le), stop teasing me. As an adjective, 损 describes a person or remark that is nasty or cutting.