How to Write 菌 (jūn) — Meaning “Fungus / Mushroom / Bacteria”

Q: What is a good mnemonic to remember 菌?

Picture a round mushroom (囷) growing out of a patch of grass (艹). The enclosure 囷 looks like a basket or cap, helping you recall that 菌 can mean both mushroom and bacteria.

Q: Are there any tricky parts in writing 菌?

Write the 艹 radical first as two horizontal lines then a vertical, keeping it compact. The lower part 囷 requires writing the outer enclosure 囗 before filling in the inner 禾 (grain), and ensure the 禾 fits neatly inside without touching the top or sides.

Q: How is 菌 different from 兹 and 苧?

菌 (jūn) refers to fungus or bacteria, while 兹 (zī/cí) means 'now' or appears in words like 滋 (moist). 苧 (zhù) is a plant used for fiber, with a different lower part (宁). Visually, 菌 has a clear square enclosure 囷, whereas 兹 has no enclosure and 苧 has 宁 under grass.

Q: Where is 菌 commonly used in modern Chinese?

You often see 菌 in words like 细菌 (bacteria), 霉菌 (mold), and 香菌 (shiitake mushroom). In Chinese culture, mushrooms are prized in cooking and medicine, and the character is also important in scientific and health contexts when talking about germs.

Q: What common words use 菌?

Common words containing 菌 include: 细菌 (xì jūn) — bacteria, germ; 霉菌 (méi jūn) — Mold; mildew.; 香菌 (xiāng jūn) — Shiitake mushroom; fragrant mushroom..

jūn HSK Level 6 11 strokes Radical: 艹

菌 (jūn) means "Fungus / Mushroom / Bacteria" in Chinese. It has 11 strokes with the radical 艹, and is HSK Level 6.

Rated 4.2/5 in difficulty (advanced).

Harder than 87% of HSK Level 6 characters.

Appears in 4+ common words including 细菌 (xì jūn), 霉菌 (méi jūn), 香菌 (xiāng jūn).

Due to its 11 strokes, Hanzi Writer's error detection shows 菌 requires focused practice — most learners need 10+ attempts for consistent accuracy.

Practice Writing 菌 (jūn)

Open Hanzi Writer to see the animated stroke order and practice writing 菌 with real-time feedback.

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How to Write 菌

The character 菌 (jūn) is written with 11 strokes. Follow the standard Chinese stroke order: top to bottom, left to right, outside before inside. The radical 艹 is one of its key components.

Practice the correct stroke order with the Hanzi Writer app to see animated stroke-by-stroke guidance with real-time feedback.

What Does jūn (菌) Mean in Chinese?

菌 means Fungus / Mushroom / Bacteria.

As an HSK Level 6 character, 菌 is an intermediate-level character.

Character Data

Character	菌
Pinyin	jūn (jun)
Meaning	Fungus / Mushroom / Bacteria
Strokes	11
Radical	艹
HSK Level	6
Difficulty	4.2/5

Origin of 菌

The character 菌 combines the grass radical 艹, indicating a plant, with 囷 (qūn, a round granary), suggesting mushrooms growing in round clusters or in damp storage areas. Originally it referred to edible fungi like mushrooms, later extended to bacteria and germs.

💡 Memory Tip: Picture a round granary (囷) sprouting grass (艹), with tiny mushrooms popping out like umbrella-covered bacteria.

Common Words with 菌

细菌 xì jūn

bacteria, germ

霉菌 méi jūn

Mold; mildew.

香菌 xiāng jūn

Shiitake mushroom; fragrant mushroom.

菌子 jūn zi

Mushroom

Example Sentences

勤洗手可以有效减少手部细菌的滋生。

qín xǐ shǒu kě yǐ yǒu xiào jiǎn shǎo shǒu bù xì jūn de zī shēng

Frequent hand washing can effectively reduce the growth of bacteria on hands.

潮湿的地下室容易滋生大量的绿色霉菌。

cháo shī de dì xià shì róng yì zī shēng dà liàng de lǜ sè méi jūn

Damp basements are prone to the growth of large amounts of green mold.

这种野生的香菌味道极其鲜美。

zhè zhǒng yě shēng de xiāng jūn wèi dào jí qí xiān měi

These wild mushrooms taste extremely delicious.

雨后的树林里冒出了许多五颜六色的菌子。

yǔ hòu de shù lín lǐ mào chū le xǔ duō wǔ yán liù sè de jūn zi

Many colorful mushrooms popped up in the forest after the rain.

Similar Characters Comparison

Character	Pinyin	Strokes	Radical
菌 (current)	jūn	11	艹
兹	zī	9	艹
苧	níng	9	艹
苲	zhǎ	9	艹

Practice Writing 菌 (jūn)

Open Hanzi Writer to see the animated stroke order and practice writing 菌 with real-time feedback.

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Frequently Asked Questions about 菌

What are the main components of 菌 and how do they relate to its meaning?

菌 is made of the radical 艹 (grass/plant) on top and the component 囷 (qūn, meaning a round granary) below. The grass radical hints that 菌 relates to plants or living things, while 囷 suggests a round shape like a mushroom cap or an enclosed space where bacteria grow.

What is a good mnemonic to remember 菌?

Are there any tricky parts in writing 菌?

How is 菌 different from 兹 and 苧?

Where is 菌 commonly used in modern Chinese?

What common words use 菌?

How to Write 菌 (jūn) — Meaning “Fungus / Mushroom / Bacteria”

Practice Writing 菌 (jūn)

How to Write 菌

What Does jūn (菌) Mean in Chinese?

Character Data

Origin of 菌

Common Words with 菌

Example Sentences

Similar Characters Comparison

Practice Writing 菌 (jūn)

Frequently Asked Questions about 菌

More HSK Level 6 Characters

Characters with Radical 艹

Other 11-Stroke Characters