纯

• Pinyin: chún
• Hanzi breakdown: 纯 = 纟(silk radical) + 屯 (phonetic component), originally relating to pure undyed silk

Meaning

Pure; unmixed; simple. Describes something that is free of impurities or additional elements.

Used to describe purity in various contexts: 纯棉 (pure cotton), 纯金 (pure gold), 纯净 (pure and clean), 纯粹 (sheer, purely). Can also mean simple or plain in an abstract sense: 单纯 (naive, simple-minded). In informal speech, 纯 can function as an adverb meaning 'purely' or 'simply': 纯属巧合 (purely coincidental).

Examples

1. 这件衣服是纯棉的，穿着很舒服。 This piece of clothing is pure cotton — it's very comfortable to wear.
2. 她是一个很单纯的女孩，对人特别真诚。 She's a very innocent girl who is especially sincere with people.
3. 这瓶是纯果汁，没有加任何添加剂。 This bottle is pure fruit juice with no additives.

Usage Guide

Context: description, quality, everyday

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 这家店卖的都是纯手工制作的东西。(Everything this shop sells is purely handmade.)
• 我想买一条纯羊毛的围巾。(I want to buy a pure wool scarf.)

Don't Say

• 说'纯的水' (Don't say 纯的水 — use 纯净水 or 纯水 instead; 纯 is typically used as a direct modifier without 的 for common compounds)

Origin & History

Left side 纟(silk radical) + right side 屯 (phonetic component). The silk radical suggests the original meaning related to pure, unblended silk thread — hence the extension to 'pure' and 'unmixed.'

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal