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㿽 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
㿽xīsmall bowl, small basinx, 9 strokes, radical 皿
xī(xi1) T1
  1. 1small bowl, small basin
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

㿽xī(xi1)

The character 㿽 (xī) refers to a small bowl or basin, often used in contexts involving food preparation or serving. It conveys a sense of compactness and utility, typically associated with household items that hold liquids or small portions of ingredients.

Strokes9Radical皿
Cultural Note

In traditional Chinese culture, the use of small bowls is common during meals, especially for rice or soup, reflecting the importance of portion control and sharing in dining customs.

Memory Tip

Imagine a tiny bowl shaped like a 'X' (the radical in 㿽) that can only hold a sip of water. The 'X' represents the shape, and the sound 'xī' rhymes with 'see', so picture seeing this small bowl every time you pour water.

Meanings of 㿽

xī(xi1)
1small bowl, small basin
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 㿽

㿽Simplified
9Strokes
皿Radical
非语素字non-morpheme character (n-m.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 㿽

JasonAmy

Podcast: 㿽

Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you

AI Study Notes for 㿽

Usage Notes

Be mindful to use 㿽 in contexts related to food or cooking to avoid confusion with other types of containers. It is typically used in informal settings and may not be suitable for formal written language.

HSK Study Tips

Although 㿽 is not included in the HSK levels, it connects to HSK vocabulary related to cooking and dining. Focus on using this word alongside other kitchen-related terms to enhance your culinary vocabulary.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 㿽 with larger containers like 碗 (wǎn), which means 'bowl' in a broader sense. Remember that 㿽 is specifically for small bowls or basins.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 㿽

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Etymology of 㿽

Formation Typepictophonetic
六书 ClassificationPhono-semantic (形声字)~80-90% of characters
Memory Hint

dish

Semantic (meaning)皿
+
Phonetic (sound)兮
Learn more about Phono-semantic (形声字) characters

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 㿽

  1. 1The meaning half皿 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half兮 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
  3. 3The giveawaydish
  4. 4On the record aspictophonetic.

Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.

Want the full history of 㿽? Jason searches the paleographic record, weighs the competing accounts and judges the popular story.

Charged once for this character — everyone reads it afterwards.
Exercise 1 of 1

Character Formation Type

What type of character formation is 㿽?

Decomposition of 㿽

IDS Structure⿱兮皿
㿽Full Character
=
兮xi1
top
皿min3
bottom
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 㿽?

How to say small bowl, small basin in Chinese

“small bowl, small basin” in Chinese is㿽xī

The character 㿽 (xī) refers to a small bowl or basin, often used in contexts involving food preparation or serving. It conveys a sense of compactness and utility, typically associated with household items that hold liquids or small portions of ingredients.

When to use 㿽

Be mindful to use 㿽 in contexts related to food or cooking to avoid confusion with other types of containers. It is typically used in informal settings and may not be suitable for formal written language.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 㿽 with larger containers like 碗 (wǎn), which means 'bowl' in a broader sense. Remember that 㿽 is specifically for small bowls or basins.

Write 㿽

㿽

Practice writing 㿽 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.

Write correctly 3 times to earn XP

Frequently Asked Questions about 㿽

It is pronounced as 'xī', with a high-level tone.

Jason Recommends

Not sure what to learn after 㿽?

Jason picks three words from your level and explains why each one is worth your time next. It takes a free account so he knows what you already know.