论 meaning and stroke order
Debate; discussion
How to write 论, stroke by stroke
6 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
- 6
Meaning of 论
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- opinion
- view
- theory
- doctrine
- to discuss
- to talk about
How 论 is built
Ideographic (compound meaning) character. Speech 讠 that explains the logic 仑; 仑 also provides the pronunciation.
Radical: 讠 (words), shared by 144 characters on this site.
How to remember 论
The speech radical 讠 sits next to 仑 (lún), which suggests orderly logic. Speech that follows logic is a discussion or an argument, and 仑 also gives the sound lùn.
论 rarely stands alone in daily speech and mostly appears in words like 讨论 (tǎolùn, to discuss), 理论 (lǐlùn, theory), and 结论 (jiélùn, conclusion). Example: 我们明天讨论这个问题。(Wǒmen míngtiān tǎolùn zhège wèntí.) We will discuss this question tomorrow.
Common mistake: Learners often mix up 论 (lùn) with 轮 (lún, wheel; turn), which shares 仑 but uses the vehicle radical 车. Also keep the fourth tone in 论, since 仑 and 轮 are second tone.
Common words with 论
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 讨论 | tǎolùn | to discuss; to talk over | HSK 2 |
| 理论 | lǐlùn | theory; to argue | HSK 3 |
| 不论 | bùlùn | whatever; no matter what (who, how etc) | HSK 3 |
| 无论 | wúlùn | no matter what or how; regardless of whether... | HSK 4 |
| 结论 | jiélùn | conclusion; verdict | HSK 4 |
| 论文 | lùnwén | paper; treatise | HSK 4 |
| 争论 | zhēnglùn | to argue; to debate | HSK 4 |
| 辩论 | biànlùn | debate; argument | HSK 4 |
| 议论 | yìlùn | to comment; to talk about | HSK 4 |
| 评论 | pínglùn | to comment on; to discuss | HSK 5 |
| 谈论 | tánlùn | to discuss; to talk about | HSK 7-9 |
| 无论如何 | wúlùn-rúhé | (idiom) whatever the case; in any event; no matter what; by all possible means | HSK 7-9 |
| 言论 | yánlùn | expression of opinion; views | HSK 7-9 |
| 论坛 | lùntán | forum (for discussion) | HSK 7-9 |
论 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Questions about 论
How many strokes are in 论?
论 is written with 6 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 论 mean?
论 (lùn) means debate; discussion. A common word with it is 讨论 (tǎolùn), meaning "to discuss; to talk over".
How do you pronounce 论?
论 is pronounced lùn, in the fourth tone (falling).
What is the radical of 论?
The radical of 论 is 讠, which carries the idea of "words". Dictionaries list 论 under this radical.
What is the traditional form of 论?
The traditional form of 论 is 論. Traditional characters are used in Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau; 论 is the simplified form used in mainland China and Singapore.
Is 论 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 论 is part of the HSK 2 character list in the HSK 3.0 standard, and you are expected to write it by hand from HSK 2.
What is the difference between 无论 and 不论?
Both mean no matter what and are usually followed by 都 or 也, as in 无论多忙，他都来 (wúlùn duō máng, tā dōu lái). 无论 sounds a bit more formal, while 不论 is slightly more common in speech. In most sentences they are interchangeable.
How is 争论 different from 辩论?
争论 (zhēnglùn) is an argument or dispute, often informal and sometimes heated. 辩论 (biànlùn) is a debate with reasoned points, like a formal debate competition.