Chinese word dictionary

寸阴

cùn yīn · a very brief period of time (lit. the time it takes for a shadow to move an inch)

Practice word

Word information

Simplified寸阴

Traditional寸陰

Pinyincùn yīn

Part of speechDictionary

HSK 3.0Not listed

HSK 2.0Not listed

Character breakdown

Study each Hanzi separately, then return to the complete word so pronunciation, meaning, and movement stay connected.

寸cùn

inch; small, tiny

阴yīn

the female principle; dark, shaded; hidden, implicit, secret

How to learn 寸阴

Listen once without reading, repeat the pinyin with its tones, then write every character in sequence. Finally, recall the complete meaning instead of memorizing each character as an isolated translation.

When the word appears in a sentence, check whether its part of speech and meaning match the definition shown here. Chinese words can change nuance with context.

Related vocabulary

Words with the same characters

Compare how a familiar Hanzi changes meaning inside another word.

阴yīn

overcast (weather); cloudy; shady; Yin (the negative principle of Yin and Yang); negative (electric.); feminine; moon; implicit; hidden; genitalia; surname Yin; variant of 陰|阴[yin1]

尺寸chǐcùn

size; dimensions; measurements (esp. of clothes); (coll.) propriety

寸cùn

a unit of length; inch; thumb

分寸fēncun

propriety; appropriate behavior; proper speech or action; within the norms

阴暗yīn’àn

dim; dark; overcast; darkness; shadow; (fig.) dismal; gloomy; somber; murky; shadowy (side)

阴历yīnlì

lunar calendar