Chinese Character: 坟
1. Character Basics
Radical: 土 (earth/soil radical)
Stroke Count: 7
Stroke Order:
2. Pronunciation
Pinyin: fén (second tone)
3. Meaning
Grave; tomb; mound of earth; burial place.
4. Common Words
- 坟墓 (fén mù): Grave; tomb
- 坟地 (fén dì): Cemetery
- 祖坟 (zǔ fén): Ancestral grave
- 上坟 (shàng fén): To visit a grave (to pay respects to ancestors)
- 坟头 (fén tóu): Mound of a grave
5. Grammar & Usage
The character 坟 is primarily used as a noun to refer to graves or tombs. It is commonly combined with other characters to form compound words related to burial sites and funeral customs.
- As a noun: 坟地 (cemetery), 祖坟 (ancestral grave)
- In verbal phrases: 上坟 (to visit a grave), 扫墓 (to sweep a grave)
6. Cultural Background
In Chinese culture, graves and ancestor worship hold significant importance. Visiting the graves of ancestors during festivals like Qingming Festival (清明节) is a traditional practice to pay respects to one's forebears.
Chinese graves are often marked with a mound of earth, which is why the character 坟 (fén) includes the soil radical 土 (tǔ).
7. Example Sentence
清明节我们要去上坟。
During Qingming Festival, we need to visit the graves of our ancestors.
8. Memory Tips
The character 坟 is composed of 土 (tǔ, soil/earth) and 文 (wén, writing/culture). Imagine a mound of earth (土) with inscriptions (文) on a tombstone.