旬 (xún) - A period of ten days & a decade

旬Tone 2

xún ｜ 6 strokes ｜ radical: 勹

信嫣

旬 · xún

A period of ten days;

a decade;

a period of ten years;

used in time-related terms.

A period of ten daysa decadea period of ten years

Usage highlights

First ten days of the monthMiddle ten days of the monthLast ten days of the monthA decadeTenAge in decades

Synonyms

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • The first ten days of the month (上旬).
  • A period of ten years (旬年).
  • The weather forecast for the next ten days (旬预报).
  • He is in his seventies (年过七旬).

Collocations

  • First ten days of the month(上旬)
  • Middle ten days of the month(中旬)
  • Last ten days of the month(下旬)
  • A decade(旬年)
  • Ten-day period(旬日)
  • Ten-day report(旬报)

Idioms

  • Three meals a day, ten days of savings(三旬九食)
  • Beyond the age of seventy(年逾七旬)
  • A brief period of ten days(旬月之间)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • In the traditional Chinese calendar, a month was divided into three ten-day periods: 上旬, 中旬, and 下旬.
  • Used metaphorically to refer to a decade of life, especially in describing someone's age (e.g., 七旬 for seventies).
  • Originally depicted the cyclical movement of the sun, representing a complete cycle.

FAQ