How to Write 韵 (yùn) — Meaning “rhyme; charm; rhythm”

Imagine the left part 音 as a musical note and the right part 匀 as a scale balancing perfectly. So 韵 is a sound (音) that is evenly balanced (匀), like a pleasing rhyme or rhythm.

Write the left radical 音 first: dot, horizontal, dot, left-falling, then horizontal, horizontal, vertical, horizontal. Then add the right side 匀: left-falling, horizontal, horizontal, vertical, horizontal, hook, dot. A common mistake is to make the right side look like 句 (jù) instead of 匀, so remember the two horizontal strokes inside 匀.

Both 韵 and 韶 share the 音 radical, but they differ in the right side. 韵 has 匀 (balance) on the right, giving meanings like rhyme and charm. 韶 has 召 (summon) on the right and refers to splendid music or a beautiful period (e.g., 韶光, beautiful springtime).

韵 is common in poetry, music, and language study, such as 韵母 (yùn mǔ, vowel or final of a Chinese syllable) and 韵律 (yùn lǜ, rhythm). It also describes personal charm, as in 风韵 (fēng yùn, graceful charm), often used for elegant women or artistic style.

Common words containing 韵 include: 韵母 (yùn mǔ) — vowel; final of a Chinese syllable; 韵律 (yùn lǜ) — rhythm; meter; 风韵 (fēng yùn) — Charm; grace.