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March 24, 2026
杏xìng(xing4)
杏 (xìng) refers to both apricots and almonds, which are fruits commonly found in Chinese cuisine and used in traditional medicine. In culinary contexts, it can refer to the fruit itself or dishes made with it, while in a broader sense, it may also be associated with the concept of sweetness and nourishment.
Strokes7Radical木Frequency#14892DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, apricots are often associated with health benefits and are used in various traditional dishes, particularly in desserts or as snacks. They are also featured in Chinese medicine for their supposed health-promoting properties.
Memory Tip
Imagine a giant apricot (杏) with two almond (杏) trees growing beside it, their branches forming the character's shape. The left side resembles a tree, and the right side looks like the fruit, helping you remember both the form and the meaning.
Meanings of 杏
xìng(xing4)
1apricot; almond
Exercise 1 of 2
Listen & Choose the Meaning
Choose the correct answer:
About 杏
杏Simplified
7Strokes
木Radical
名词míngcínoun (n.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank
Podcast: 杏
Podcast: 杏
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AI Study Notes for 杏
Usage Notes
杏 is often used in both formal and informal contexts, especially in recipes or discussions about food. Be careful not to confuse it with other similar fruit characters, such as 桃 (táo, peach) or 李 (lǐ, plum), as they may appear in similar culinary discussions.
HSK Study Tips
Although 杏 is not part of the official HSK vocabulary, it connects well with other food-related terms at beginner levels. Focus on its pronunciation and usage in context with other fruits to enhance vocabulary retention.
Common Mistakes
Learners often confuse 杏 with similar fruit characters like 桃 (peach) or 李 (plum). For example, saying '我喜欢李' (I like apricots) is incorrect; it should be '我喜欢杏'.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 杏
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1The giveawayA open mouth 口, waiting for fruit to fall from the tree 木
2On the record asideographic — someone drew an idea rather than an object.
Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.
Want the full history of 杏? 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 杏?
Decomposition of 杏
IDS Structure⿱木口
杏Full Character
=
木Mu4
top
口kou3
bottom
Exercise 1 of 2
Identify the Components
Which of these is a component of 杏?
How to say apricot; almond in Chinese
“apricot; almond” in Chinese is杏xìng
杏 (xìng) refers to both apricots and almonds, which are fruits commonly found in Chinese cuisine and used in traditional medicine. In culinary contexts, it can refer to the fruit itself or dishes made with it, while in a broader sense, it may also be associated with the concept of sweetness and nourishment.
When to use 杏
杏 is often used in both formal and informal contexts, especially in recipes or discussions about food. Be careful not to confuse it with other similar fruit characters, such as 桃 (táo, peach) or 李 (lǐ, plum), as they may appear in similar culinary discussions.
What learners get wrong
Learners often confuse 杏 with similar fruit characters like 桃 (peach) or 李 (plum). For example, saying '我喜欢李' (I like apricots) is incorrect; it should be '我喜欢杏'.
Write 杏
杏
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Practice writing 杏 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
Write correctly 3 times to earn XP
Grammar Patterns of 杏
杏 functions as a noun — it names a person, place, thing, or concept. Place it as a subject before the verb (主+谓) or as an object after the verb (谓+宾). Most Chinese nouns require a measure word between the number and the noun (e.g. 一个/三本). The example sentences below show it in action, with practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) on every line.
Exercise 1 of 4
Complete the Sentence
插图上是一簇____橙色的玫瑰，一共5朵。
The illustration shows a cluster of five roses coloured apricot orange.
Example Sentences for 杏 (5)
Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
插图上是一簇杏橙色的玫瑰，一共5朵。
chā tú shàng shì yī cù xìng chéng sè de méi guī， ， yī5 gòng。
The illustration shows a cluster of five roses coloured apricot orange.
2
试着吃些用水泡过的西梅干、无花果干或杏干。
shì zháo chī xiē yòng shuǐ pào guò de xī méi gān、 、 wú huā guǒ gān huò xìng。
Try eating reconstituted dried prunes, figs or apricots.
3
她好象神经质似地把她面前的蛋糕和甜杏仁羹推在一边.
tā hǎo xiàng shén jīng zhì sì dì bǎ tā miàn qián de dàn gāo hé tián xìng rén gēng tuī zài yī biān.
She nervously pushed away her cake and stewed apricots.
