进 (jìn) means "to enter, advance" with HSK 2 on the new exam.
Pronunciation
Meaning
Primary: to enter
Other meanings:
- advance
Etymology
Oracle-bone origin
The traditional form 進 shows 辵 (walking) combined with 隹 (short-tailed bird). The oracle bone and bronze forms depict a bird above a foot, and one reading is that it represents forward motion modelled on a bird that can only hop or fly forward, not backward. The simplified 进 replaces 隹 with 井 (well), chosen largely as a phonetic approximation and for simpler strokes.
Form evolution
Oracle bone graphs show a bird-shape over a footprint. Bronze and seal forms standardised this into 進 with 辵 on the left and 隹 on the right. Clerical script flattened the strokes and fixed the 辶 enclosure shape. The 1950s simplification swapped 隹 for 井, producing 进; this is one of the substitutions criticised for losing the original semantic logic.
How the meaning evolved
The base meaning is to advance or move forward, from the bird-and-foot imagery. It extended to entering a space (进屋 enter a room), to making progress (进步), and to offering something upward to a superior (进贡 to present tribute). In modern Mandarin it functions both as a full verb and as a directional complement attached to other verbs.
Cultural note
The saying 不进则退 (if you do not advance you retreat) captures a core Confucian attitude toward self-cultivation. The switch from 隹 to 井 is a frequent example cited in debates over whether simplification damaged the character system's internal logic.
Basic info
| Pinyin | jìn |
| Meanings | to enter, advance |
| New HSK exam | Recognise at HSK 2 |
| Frequency | #223 most common |
Example sentences
Words containing 进
On the new HSK 2 exam
Studying for HSK 2? Keep 进 with the rest of your level.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Reviewed by RJ Murray, Founder, HSK Lord.