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泆 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
to overflow; licentious, libertine, dissipatedx, 8 strokes, radical 氵, Very Hard
licentious, libertine, dissipateunknown, 8 strokes, radical 氵, Very Hard
(yi4) T4
  1. 1to overflow; licentious, libertine, dissipated
  2. 2licentious, libertine, dissipate
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March 24, 2026
(yi4)

The character 泆 (yì) primarily means to overflow or spill over, often used in the context of liquids. Additionally, it can describe a person who is licentious or libertine, indicating a sense of moral looseness or dissipated behavior. This character is less commonly used and may appear in literary or poetic contexts.

Strokes8RadicalFrequency#—DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note

In Chinese literature, water often symbolizes emotions and excess, making 泆 a fitting term to describe characters who indulge in moral laxity or emotional overflow. This reflects the cultural view of water as a powerful force that can both nurture and destroy.

Memory Tip

Think of 泆 as a wave (the water radical 氵) spilling over the edge of a cup, representing both the act of overflowing and the idea of excess in behavior. The pronunciation 'yì' can be remembered by associating it with the image of someone who is 'yielding' to temptation.

Meanings of 泆

(yi4)
1to overflow; licentious, libertine, dissipated
2licentious, libertine, dissipate
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 泆

Simplified
8Strokes
Radical
非语素字non-morpheme character (n-m.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 泆

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AI Study Notes for 泆

Memory Mnemonic

Think of 泆 as a wave (the water radical 氵) spilling over the edge of a cup, representing both the act of overflowing and the idea of excess in behavior. The pronunciation 'yì' can be remembered by associating it with the image of someone who is 'yielding' to temptation.

Usage Notes

This character is seldom used in everyday conversation, so it may not be recognized by all speakers. It is important to use it in formal or literary contexts to convey the intended meaning accurately. Be cautious with tone; the fourth tone is often confused with the third tone in spoken Mandarin.

HSK Study Tips

As 泆 is not part of the HSK vocabulary, learners should focus on understanding its meaning through context rather than memorization. It connects to HSK words related to water and emotion, such as 水 (water) or 感情 (emotion), enhancing the understanding of overflow in both literal and figurative senses.

Cultural Note

In Chinese literature, water often symbolizes emotions and excess, making 泆 a fitting term to describe characters who indulge in moral laxity or emotional overflow. This reflects the cultural view of water as a powerful force that can both nurture and destroy.

Common Mistakes

Learners may confuse 泆 with similar characters like 溢 (yì), which also means to overflow, but with more common usage. Another mistake is using it in informal settings, where its literary connotation might not be appropriate.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 泆

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Etymology of 泆

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

water

Semantic (meaning)
+
Phonetic (sound)
Learn more about Phono-semantic (形声字) characters
Exercise 1 of 1

Character Formation Type

What type of character formation is 泆?

Decomposition of 泆

IDS Structure⿰氵失
Full Character
=
shui3
left
shi1
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 泆?

Write 泆

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

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Cultural Notes for 泆

🏮Cultural insight

In Chinese literature, water often symbolizes emotions and excess, making 泆 a fitting term to describe characters who indulge in moral laxity or emotional overflow. This reflects the cultural view of water as a powerful force that can both nurture and destroy.

Word Family of 泆

Words Containing This Character1
licentious, libertine, dissipate
Exercise 1 of 1

Compound Meaning

What does 泆 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 泆

No, 泆 is more often found in literary texts and may not be familiar to many speakers.