Mandarin TempleMandarin Temple Beta Come for Knowledge. Stay for Wisdom.
Start your Chinese Learning JourneyStart Now
眚 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
眚shěngcataract; fault, error, crimeng, 10 strokes, radical 目
眚shěngcataract of the eyeunknown, 10 strokes, radical 目
shěng(sheng3) T3
  1. 1cataract; fault, error, crime
  2. 2cataract of the eye
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

眚shěng(sheng3)

The character 眚 (shěng) primarily refers to a cataract, which is a medical condition affecting the eye, resulting in blurred vision. Additionally, it can denote faults, errors, or crimes, emphasizing mistakes or shortcomings. This character is less commonly used in everyday conversation but may appear in medical contexts or literary works discussing moral failings.

Strokes10Radical目
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, eyes are often associated with clarity and perception. Discussing cataracts can be linked to traditional beliefs about health and the importance of clear vision in both a physical and metaphorical sense, as clarity of thought is highly valued.

Memory Tip

Think of the character 眚 as two eyes (the top part) looking at something wrong (the bottom part looks like a mistake). Imagine a person squinting through a cataract, trying to see clearly but noticing errors in their vision, which helps you remember that shěng relates to vision problems and faults.

Meanings of 眚

shěng(sheng3)
1cataract; fault, error, crime
2cataract of the eye
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 眚

眚Simplified
10Strokes
目Radical
名语素míngcínoun root (n.root)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 眚

JasonAmy

Podcast: 眚

Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you

AI Study Notes for 眚

Usage Notes

Learners often confuse 眚 with similar characters like 省 (shěng, to save or to economize), leading to misunderstandings. This word is generally formal and can be used in medical contexts or discussions about morality. Pay attention to the third tone when pronouncing it, as mispronunciation can alter meaning.

HSK Study Tips

While 眚 is not included in the HSK vocabulary lists, it connects to the broader themes of health (related to eye conditions) and moral discussions. Students should focus on distinguishing it from similar-sounding characters and understanding its specific medical and ethical contexts.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 眚 with 省 (shěng) due to similar pronunciation and visual resemblance. For example, saying '我有眚' (wǒ yǒu shěng) to mean 'I save' is incorrect; use '我有省' instead for saving.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 眚

Premium — Locked

AI tone practice

Pro

Drill the tone of 眚 with AI-powered exercises, get instant feedback, and earn XP toward mastery. Interactive tone practice is part of Pro.

Tone drillsInstant feedback+5 XP
See plans to unlock

Etymology of 眚

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

eye

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

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 眚

  1. 1The meaning half目 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half生 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
  3. 3The giveawayeye
  4. 4On the record aspictophonetic.

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

Want the full history of 眚? 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 眚?

Decomposition of 眚

IDS Structure⿱生目
眚Full Character
=
生sheng1
top
目mu4
bottom
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 眚?

How to say cataract; fault, error, crime in Chinese

“cataract; fault, error, crime” in Chinese is眚shěng

The character 眚 (shěng) primarily refers to a cataract, which is a medical condition affecting the eye, resulting in blurred vision. Additionally, it can denote faults, errors, or crimes, emphasizing mistakes or shortcomings. This character is less commonly used in everyday conversation but may appear in medical contexts or literary works discussing moral failings.

When to use 眚

Learners often confuse 眚 with similar characters like 省 (shěng, to save or to economize), leading to misunderstandings. This word is generally formal and can be used in medical contexts or discussions about morality. Pay attention to the third tone when pronouncing it, as mispronunciation can alter meaning.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 眚 with 省 (shěng) due to similar pronunciation and visual resemblance. For example, saying '我有眚' (wǒ yǒu shěng) to mean 'I save' is incorrect; use '我有省' instead for saving.

Write 眚

眚

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

Write correctly 3 times to earn XP

Word Family of 眚

Words Containing This Character1
眚shěngerror
Exercise 1 of 1

Compound Meaning

What does 眚 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 眚

In medical terms, 眚 refers to a cataract, which is a clouding of the lens in the eye that affects vision.

Jason Recommends

Not sure what to learn after 眚?

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.