Definitions

shùn (verb) to follow; to obey
shùn (adjective) favorable; smooth-going
shùn (preposition) along

Etymology

Phonosemantic compound. represents the meaning and represents the sound. Simplified form of .

Semantic: Phonetic:

About

The character 顺, traditionally written as 順, derives from a structural composition where the element 川, signifying a river, combines with 頁, representing a head, to create an ideographic suggestion of unimpeded flow or aligned orientation. Originally conveying the act of following a course or yielding in manner, akin to water moving smoothly along its bed, the term's early use emphasized compliance and orderly progression. From this foundational sense, its semantic range expanded over time to include notions of favorable circumstances, absence of difficulty, and spatial direction along a line, all while maintaining its intrinsic connection to harmonious movement and submission to a given order.

Etymology Hide

Oracle etymology image
Oracle (~1250-1000 BC)
Bronze etymology image
Bronze Early Western Zhou (~1000 BC)
Bronze etymology image
Bronze Late Warring States (~250 BC)
Seal etymology image
Seal Chu (Warring States: 475-221 BC)
Seal etymology image
Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)
Seal etymology image
Seal Qin dynasty (221-206 BC)
Clerical etymology image
Clerical Qin dynasty (221-206 BC)
Clerical etymology image
Clerical Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)
Clerical etymology image
Clerical Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)
Clerical etymology image
Clerical Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)
Clerical etymology image
Clerical Western Jin dynasty (266-316 AD)
Traditional Modern
Simplified Modern

Example Sentences Hide

序排队。

Qǐng shùnxù páiduì.

Please queue in order.

利通过了考试。

Tā shùnlì tōngguò le kǎoshì.

He passed the exam smoothly.

便去买点东西。

Wǒ shùnbiàn qù mǎi diǎn dōngxi.

I will go buy some things on the way.

这条路很畅。

Zhè tiáo lù hěn shùnchàng.

This road is very smooth.

父母是美德。

Xiàoshùn fùmǔ shì měidé.

Filial piety towards parents is a virtue.

风时船跑得快。

Shùnfēng shí chuán pǎo de kuài.

The boat sails fast when it's downwind.

着指示找到了地方。

Tā shùnzhe zhǐshì zhǎodào le dìfāng.

He followed the instructions and found the place.

为了利完成任务,我们加班工作。

Wèile shùnlì wánchéng rènwù, wǒmen jiābān gōngzuò.

In order to complete the task smoothly, we worked overtime.