meritorious deed, merits, rank
勳 centers on recognized achievement: a meritorious deed, earned merits, or an official rank granted for service.
勳 combines 力 (strength, effort) with 熏, which likely contributes the sound and the idea of smoke or fragrance rising, metaphorically suggesting deeds that rise to recognition.
The left side 熏 suggests smoke rising from a fire, and the right side 力 is strength. Picture a great deed sending up a column of smoke, earning merit and rank through visible effort.
For クン, imagine a coon (raccoon) performing a meritorious deed: coon -> クン, and the raccoon's clever action earns it a rank.