jun4

jun4 is the pinyin representation of a Mandarin syllable that carries the fourth tone. In pinyin notation, the fourth tone is a falling tone, often marked with a grave accent as jùn. When written without a diacritic, it may be shown with the numeral 4 as jun4.

Phonology and spelling: The syllable jun combines an initial j with a final ün that is commonly represented as un in pinyin after j. The pronunciation is [tɕyn˥˩], a high-to-low contour typical of the Mandarin fourth tone. In pinyin orthography, after initials such as j, q, x, and y, the ü sound is written as u, so jun corresponds to the same underlying sound as jü in other contexts.

Characters and meaning: jun4 can represent several Chinese characters, each with its own meaning. Common examples include 俊 (jùn4), meaning talented or handsome; 峻 (jùn4), meaning steep or lofty; and 骏 (jùn4), meaning a fine horse or noble, often used in names and identifiers. The specific meaning of jun4 depends on the character chosen in context.

Usage and context: In modern Chinese, jun4 frequently appears in given names and place names. It is also a component in compound words and phrases where the fourth-tone reading of the associated character is required. As with all pinyin syllables, jun4 serves as a phonetic transcription that helps distinguish meaning through accompanying characters.

See also: Pinyin, Mandarin Chinese, Chinese characters.