Chinese Character: 健
1. Character Basics
Radical: 亻/rén radical (单人旁)
Stroke Count: 10
Stroke Order:
2. Pronunciation
Pinyin: jiàn (fourth tone)
3. Meaning
healthy, strong, robust, fit, vigorous
4. Common Words
- 健康 (jiàn kāng) - health, healthy
- 健身 (jiàn shēn) - fitness, bodybuilding
- 健美 (jiàn měi) - fit and beautiful, bodybuilding
- 健全 (jiàn quán) - sound, complete, perfect
- 健壮 (jiàn zhuàng) - robust, strong, sturdy
- 保健 (bǎo jiàn) - health care, health protection
5. Grammar & Usage
健 is an adjective that means "healthy", "strong", or "robust". It is often used to describe physical health or strength.
When combined with other characters, 健 forms many commonly used words related to health and fitness. For example, 健康 (jiàn kāng) means "health" or "healthy", and 健身 (jiàn shēn) means "fitness" or "bodybuilding".
健 can also be used as a prefix in compound words, such as 健步如飞 (jiàn bù rú fēi) meaning "to walk as if flying" or "to walk very fast and energetically".
In modern Chinese, 健 is often used in phrases related to health and wellness, reflecting the importance of physical health in Chinese culture.
6. Cultural Background
The character 健 is deeply rooted in Chinese culture's emphasis on health and well-being. Traditional Chinese medicine places great importance on maintaining a healthy body and mind, and 健 is a key concept in this philosophy.
In Chinese society, health is considered fundamental to a fulfilling life, and this is reflected in the frequent use of 健 in everyday language. Phrases like 身体健康 (shēn tǐ jiàn kāng) meaning "good health" are commonly used as greetings and well-wishes.
Chinese martial arts, such as Tai Chi and Kung Fu, also embody the concept of 健, as they focus on developing strength, flexibility, and overall health. These practices have been passed down through generations and remain popular today.
With the growing global interest in health and wellness, the character 健 has gained even more significance, representing not just physical health but also a balanced and harmonious lifestyle.
7. Example Sentence
句子 (jù zi): 他每天锻炼身体，所以很健康。
Pronunciation (pīn yīn): Tā měi tiān duàn liàn shēn tǐ, suǒ yǐ hěn jiàn kāng.
Translation (fān yì): He exercises every day, so he is very healthy.
8. Memory Tips
The character 健 consists of two parts: 亻 (rén radical, meaning "person") on the left and 建 (jiàn, meaning "build") on the right. You can remember it by thinking of "building (建) a strong person (亻)", which relates to its meaning of "healthy" or "strong".
Another way to remember: 健 sounds like "jiàn" and means "healthy". Think of the phrase "健康生活" (jiàn kāng shēng huó) meaning "healthy lifestyle".
The radical 亻 (person) on the left of the character clearly indicates that it is related to people, which fits with its meaning of describing a person's health or strength.