How to Write 均 (jūn) — Meaning “Equal / Even / All”

Imagine a farmer using a rake to spread soil (土) evenly over a field, making everything uniform and balanced (匀). The left side is soil, the right side looks like a person holding a rake—both parts remind you of 'equal' and 'even'. This visual links the shape directly to the meaning.

Write the left radical 土 with a short bottom horizontal stroke, not too long, so it fits beside the right part. The right side 匀 starts with a short stroke then a curved hook; make sure the hook points left and the inner 冫 (two dots) are centered in the enclosure. A common mistake is making the top of 匀 too wide—keep it narrow to balance with the left.

均 has the earth radical 土 on the left and means equal/even, while 圣 (saint/holy) has the hand radical 又 and a different top part—it's completely unrelated in meaning. 圤 (a rare word for clod of earth) also has 土 but the right side is 卜 (bǔ, divination), not 匀. Visually, 均 looks like 土 + 匀, while 圤 is 土 + 卜, making them easy to distinguish by the right component.

均 appears in common HSK 4 words like 平均 (average), 均匀 (evenly distributed), and 均衡 (balance). It's used in academic contexts like statistics ('平均分数' average score) or everyday life ('均匀搅拌' stir evenly). Culturally, 均 reflects the Chinese emphasis on harmony and fairness, appearing in phrases like 均等 (equal or equitable).

Common words containing 均 include: 平均 (píng jūn) — average / mean; 均匀 (jūn yún) — Even / Uniform; 均衡 (jūn héng) — Balance / Equilibrium.