禁 (jīn) - Meaning, Stroke Order & Audio

禁

jīn[jin1]Tone 1

to endure

HSK 4

Multiple Readings (多音字):

Guru Deep Dive

English · to endure

Cached lesson

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Topology:Left-right

Strokes:13

Writing Balance Rule: The left component (示) is narrower and slightly shorter, while the right component (林) is wider and bears the main visual weight.

1. Meaning

to endure, to bear, to stand

to prohibit, to forbidrestraint, ban

VerbNeutral#action#endurance#law

Sample Usage

这块手表经得起时间的考验。
Zhè kuài shǒubiǎo jīng de qǐ shíjiān de kǎoyàn.
This watch can stand the test of time.
这里禁止吸烟。
Zhèli jìnzhǐ xīyān.
Smoking is prohibited here.

2. Sound

/[t͡ɕin⁵⁵]/Tone: 55

禁

jīnjin1

¯(55)

=jīn

Initial Consonant

Type: Unaspirated Alveolo-Palatal

Sounds like: j sound like the 'g' in 'gin'

Unaspirated

Airflow Tactile Test: No air puff. Lips spread wide like smiling.

Tongue & Mouth Position: Blade of the tongue touches the hard palate, tip resting behind lower front teeth.

Final Rhyme

Vowel Group: -i vowel group

Sounds like: -in rhymes with 'seen'

Mouth Shape Guide: Pronounce as standalone vowel 'een'.

Common Learner Trap: Keep vowel quality steady across all 4 tone contours.

Tone

T1 (55)

5 → 5 (55)

1st Tone (High-Flat)

Tone Pitch & Cadence: Tone 1 has a steady, unwavering high pitch, identical to a flat musical note sustained at the top of your voice range.

Sandhi: Maintains a high level pitch unless followed by another 1st or 2nd tone, where it may slightly adjust due to speech cadence.

👂

Listening trap: Confusing the high level tone (Tone 1) with the rising tone (Tone 2), or mistaking the front nasal -in for the back nasal -ing.

👋

Physical Tone Gesture: A flat, high horizontal line in the air, matching a high-pitched singing note.

3. Writing

Topology: Left-right · Strokes: 13 strokes

Writing Balance Rule: The left component (示) is narrower and slightly shorter, while the right component (林) is wider and bears the main visual weight.

4. Components

Radical 示 · Altar / Showing Radical (spirit, worship, altar)

Semantic Clue (形旁): 示 (indicates a solemn or sacred restriction)

Phonetic Clue (声旁): 林 (original sound: lín / jīn)

An altar or shrine (示) surrounded by a sacred forest (林) where ordinary people are prohibited from entering or must endure strict taboos.

示 altar or sign
林 forest

Phonetic Family (形声字家族)

10· Phonetic Root: 林 (lín)

5. History

Liushu category: Phono-semantic (形声)

Origin: Combined from 示 (altar/sacred) and 林 (forest), originally denoting sacred groves where rituals were performed and access was forbidden or required solemn endurance.

Semantic Evolution: Shifted from sacred ritual prohibitions and sacred boundaries to general prohibitions, and later extended to mean enduring or bearing weight.

In ancient times, sacred forests were strictly guarded to prevent sacrilege.

6. Sinosphere

🇯🇵

Kanji (Japanese)

On: キン / Kun: きん.ずる

🇰🇷

Hanja (Korean)

금

7. Memory

Vivid Mnemonic Story

At the sacred altar (示) inside the deep forest (林), you must ENDURE (jīn) strict rules and prohibitions.

Phonetic Family (形声字家族)

禁

jīnto endure / to prohibitBase character

Lookalikes & Traps (形近字)

林(lín)

林 just means 'woods' (two trees), whereas 禁 adds the altar radical 示 on the left for rules and endurance.

8. Mastery

Active Recall Challenge

这件衣服质量很好，非常[___]穿。

Clue: jīn

Common Learner Pitfall

Confusing the tone with the rising tone (jín) or mixing up the left radical 示 with 衣 (衤).

Memory Prompts

Recognition: What does the character 禁 mean when pronounced with a high level tone (jīn)?

Production: How do you write the character for 'to endure / to prohibit' (jīn) using the altar and forest components?

禁jīnto endure

Speed:

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