準 meaning and stroke order
Standard, accurate; to permit, to approve, to allow
How to write 準, 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.
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
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- 8
- 9
- 10
- 11
- 12
- 13
Meaning of 準
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- accurate
- standard
- definitely
- certainly
- about to become (bride, son-in-law etc)
- quasi-
How 準 is built
Ideographic (compound meaning) character. To balance 十 water 氵 in a spirit level; 隹 provides the pronunciation.
Radical: 氵 (water), shared by 467 characters on this site.
How to remember 準
準 is water 氵 on top of a bird 隹 with a cross 十 below. Picture balancing 十 the water 氵 in a spirit level so it sits perfectly level, which is accurate and standard; 隹 gives the sound.
準 is the traditional form, and simplified Chinese writes it as 准. It appears in many common words such as 准备 (zhǔnbèi, to prepare), 准确 (zhǔnquè, accurate) and 标准 (biāozhǔn, standard). Example: 他每天都很準時。(Tā měitiān dōu hěn zhǔnshí.) He is punctual every day.
Common mistake: Learners often drop the 十 at the bottom, or write 淮 (huái, the Huai River), which looks almost the same but has no 十. In simplified text, use 准 with two dots 冫 instead of three-dot water 氵.
Common words with 準
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 準備 | zhǔnbèi | preparation; to prepare | HSK 1 |
| 準確 | zhǔnquè | accurate; exact; precise | HSK 2 |
| 標準 | biāozhǔn | standard; norm; criterion; (adjective) standard | HSK 3 |
| 準時 | zhǔnshí | on time; punctual | HSK 4 |
| 瞄準 | miáozhǔn | to take aim at; to target | HSK 7-9 |
| 對準 | duìzhǔn | to aim at; to target | HSK 7-9 |
| 水準 | shuǐzhǔn | level (of achievement etc); standard | HSK 7-9 |
| 準則 | zhǔnzé | norm; standard | HSK 7-9 |
| 沒準兒 | méizhǔnr | erhua variant of 沒準|没准[mei2 zhun3] | HSK 7-9 |
| 基準 | jīzhǔn | (surveying) datum; standard; criterion; benchmark | HSK 7-9 |
| 沒準 | méizhǔn | not sure; maybe | |
| 精準 | jīngzhǔn | accurate; exact | |
| 看準 | kànzhǔn | to observe and make sure; to check | |
| 校準 | jiàozhǔn | to calibrate |
Questions about 準
How many strokes are in 準?
準 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 準 mean?
準 (zhǔn) means standard, accurate; to permit, to approve, to allow. A common word with it is 准备 (zhǔnbèi), meaning "preparation; to prepare".
How do you pronounce 準?
準 is pronounced zhǔn, in the third tone (dipping).
What is the radical of 準?
The radical of 準 is 氵, which carries the idea of "water". Dictionaries list 準 under this radical.
What is the simplified form of 準?
準 is a traditional character. Its simplified form is 准, used in mainland China and Singapore.
Does 準 mean 'to allow' as well as 'accurate'?
Yes. In simplified Chinese, 准 covers both meanings, as in 不准抽烟 (bù zhǔn chōuyān, smoking not allowed). In traditional usage, the 'permit' sense is usually written 准, while 準 is used for 'accurate' and 'standard'.
What does 準 mean in words like 準新娘?
Here it means 'about to become' or 'quasi-'. 準新娘 (zhǔn xīnniáng) is a bride-to-be, and 準女婿 (zhǔn nǚxu) is a future son-in-law.