芬 meaning and stroke order
Aroma, fragrance, perfume
How to write 芬, 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.
- 1
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- 3
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- 7
Meaning of 芬
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- perfume
- fragrance
How 芬 is built
Phono-semantic (sound + meaning) character. Flower.
艹 gives the meaning and 分 hints at the sound.
Radical: 艹 (grass), shared by 421 characters on this site.
How to remember 芬
芬 is pictophonetic: the grass radical 艹 on top points to plants and flowers, and 分 (fēn) below gives the sound. Picture a flower whose scent spreads out and divides (分) through the air.
芬 rarely stands alone in modern Chinese and mostly appears in written or literary words like 芬芳 (fēnfāng). It is also common in names and in loanwords for sounds like "fen" or "fin". Example: 花园里一片芬芳。(Huāyuán lǐ yí piàn fēnfāng.) The garden is full of fragrance.
Common mistake: Learners often confuse 芬 with 纷 (fēn, numerous, confused) because they share 分 and the same sound. Remember that fragrance comes from plants, so it takes 艹, while 纷 takes the silk radical 纟.
Common words with 芬
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 芬芳 | fēnfāng | perfume; fragrant | HSK 7-9 |
| 芬尼 | fēnní | pfennig (monetary unit) (loanword) |
芬 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Questions about 芬
How many strokes are in 芬?
芬 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 芬 mean?
芬 (fēn) means aroma, fragrance, perfume. A common word with it is 芬芳 (fēnfāng), meaning "perfume; fragrant".
How do you pronounce 芬?
芬 is pronounced fēn, in the first tone (high and level).
What is the radical of 芬?
The radical of 芬 is 艹, which carries the idea of "grass". Dictionaries list 芬 under this radical.
Is 芬 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 芬 is part of the HSK 7-9 character list in the HSK 3.0 standard.
How is 芬 used in country names?
芬 is used for the sound "fin" in 芬兰 (Fēnlán), Finland. In this word it only carries sound and has nothing to do with fragrance.
Is 芬 common in Chinese given names?
Yes. 芬 is a popular character in women's names, such as 李芬 (Lǐ Fēn), because it suggests fragrance and beauty.