菌 (jūn) - Bacterium, fungus, germ, microorganism & mushroom

菌Tone 1

jūn ｜ 11 strokes ｜ radical:

君俊

菌 · jūn

Bacterium, fungus, germ, microorganism;

mushroom;

pathogen.

Bacterium, fungus, germ, microorganismmushroompathogen.

Usage highlights

BacteriaFungusPathogenic bacteriaMushroomAntibacterialBacterial culture

Synonyms

  • 霉— mold, mildew
  • 菇— mushroom
  • 微生— microorganism (abbreviation)

Antonyms

  • 抗— anti-, resistant to (as in antibacterial)
  • 灭— eliminate, destroy (as in germicide)

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • Bacteria are microscopic organisms (细菌).
  • Mushrooms are a type of fungus (菌类).
  • Antibiotics can kill harmful bacteria (抗菌).
  • The patient has a bacterial infection (病菌感染).

Collocations

  • Bacteria(细菌)
  • Fungus(真菌)
  • Pathogenic bacteria(病菌)
  • Mushroom(蘑菇菌)
  • Antibacterial(抗菌)
  • Bacterial culture(菌种)

Idioms

  • Breeding ground for evil(滋菌温床)
  • Harmful bacteria and viruses(病菌病毒)
  • Fungal infection(菌类感染)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • In traditional Chinese medicine, some fungi like lingzhi (灵芝) are highly valued for medicinal properties.
  • The character represents both beneficial microorganisms (e.g., in fermentation) and harmful pathogens.
  • Modern usage heavily influenced by Western microbiology introducing terms like 细菌 (bacteria).

FAQ