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硝 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
硝xiāosaltpeter; to tan leathern, 12 strokes, radical 石, rank #20720, Hard
硝xiāoto tan (leather)unknown, 12 strokes, radical 石, rank #20720, Hard
xiāo(xiao1) T1
  1. 1saltpeter; to tan leather
  2. 2to tan (leather)
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March 24, 2026
硝xiāo(xiao1)

硝 (xiāo) refers primarily to saltpeter, a chemical compound often used in fertilizers, explosives, and food preservation. It can also denote the process of tanning leather, which involves treating animal skins to make them more durable and flexible. The word is commonly used in agricultural and industrial contexts.

Strokes12Radical石Frequency#20720DifficultyHard
Cultural Note

In ancient China, saltpeter was crucial for making gunpowder, which played a significant role in warfare and fireworks, linking this character to important historical events and celebrations.

Memory Tip

Think of 硝 (xiāo) as 'salty' (the 'salt' in 'saltpeter') and 'shining' (the 'shiny' leather from tanning). The character combines the radical 硬 (hard) with '咬' (yǎo), suggesting something tough that can be made shiny and useful, like leather or explosives.

Meanings of 硝

xiāo(xiao1)
1saltpeter; to tan leather
2to tan (leather)
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

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About 硝

硝Simplified
12Strokes
石Radical
名词míngcínoun (n.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 硝

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Podcast: 硝

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AI Study Notes for 硝

Memory Mnemonic

Think of 硝 (xiāo) as 'salty' (the 'salt' in 'saltpeter') and 'shining' (the 'shiny' leather from tanning). The character combines the radical 硬 (hard) with '咬' (yǎo), suggesting something tough that can be made shiny and useful, like leather or explosives.

Usage Notes

Learners often confuse 硝 with similar-sounding words, so pay attention to pronunciation. This term is more commonly used in scientific or industrial contexts rather than in everyday conversation. Be careful with the tone; using the wrong tone could lead to misunderstandings.

HSK Study Tips

硝 is not part of the standard HSK vocabulary, but understanding it can enhance your grasp of specialized vocabulary related to chemistry and agriculture. Students at higher levels should focus on its applications in context, such as in discussions about fertilizers or leather production.

Cultural Note

In ancient China, saltpeter was crucial for making gunpowder, which played a significant role in warfare and fireworks, linking this character to important historical events and celebrations.

Common Mistakes

Learners often mispronounce 硝 as 'shāo' instead of 'xiāo'. Additionally, some may confuse it with similar characters like 燒 (shāo, to burn). Always check the context to ensure you're using the correct term.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 硝

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Etymology of 硝

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

Phonosemantic compound. 石 represents the meaning and 肖 represents the sound.

Memory Hint

mineral

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

Character Formation Type

What type of character formation is 硝?

Decomposition of 硝

IDS Structure⿰石肖
硝Full Character
=
石dan4
left
肖Xiao1
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 硝?

Write 硝

硝

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

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Grammar Patterns of 硝

硝 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). It carries 2 related meanings, each with its own usage notes below. 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

____酸盐是水和土壤中自然存在的化学物质。

Nitrates are chemicals that occur naturally in water and the soil.

Example Sentences for 硝 (7)

Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
硝酸盐是水和土壤中自然存在的化学物质。

xiāo suān yán shì shuǐ hé tǔ rǎng zhōng zì rán cún zài de huà xué wù zhì。

Nitrates are chemicals that occur naturally in water and the soil.
2
流入湖中的泉水和河水携带了溶于水的硝酸盐和磷酸盐。

liú rù hú zhōng de quán shuǐ hé hé shuǐ xié dài le róng yú shuǐ de xiāo suān yán hé lín suān yán。

Springs and rivers that drain into lakes carry dissolved nitrates and phosphates.
3
叠氨化银不溶于水或硝酸.

dié ān huà yín bù róng yú shuǐ huò xiāo suān.

Silver azide does not dissolve in water or in nitric acid.
4
废酸则被送去脱硝.

fèi suān zé bèi sòng qù tuō xiāo.

The spent acid is passed on to be denitrated.
5
从苯乙腈制取苯基硝基甲烷就用这个方法.

cóng běn yǐ jīng zhì qǔ běn jī xiāo jī jiǎ wán jiù yòng zhè gè fāng fǎ.

This is a generally known method for obtaining phenylnitromethane from benzyl cyanide.
6
硝化对位异丙基甲苯时会生成二硝基甲苯.

xiāo huà duì wèi yì bǐng jī jiǎ běn shí huì shēng chéng èr xiāo jī jiǎ běn.

The nitration of pcymene may lead to dinitrotoluene.
7
施用足量氮肥的土壤,通常硝酸钙占优势.

shī yòng zú liáng dàn féi de tǔ rǎng, , tōng cháng xiāo suān gài zhān yōu.

The nitrate form commonly dominates where liberal nitrogen fertilization is practiced.

Cultural Notes for 硝

🏮Cultural insight

In ancient China, saltpeter was crucial for making gunpowder, which played a significant role in warfare and fireworks, linking this character to important historical events and celebrations.

Word Family of 硝

Words Containing This Character18
硝xiāosaltpeter
硝烟smoke (from guns)硝煙
硝酸nitric acid
亚硝酸nitrous acid亞硝酸
硝酸铵ammonium nitrate硝酸銨
硝酸盐nitrate硝酸鹽
甲硝唑Flagyl (trade name)
硝酸甘油nitroglycerine
硝基苯nitrobenzene
芒硝Glauber's salt
硝石niter
硝酸银silver nitrate硝酸銀
亚硝酸盐nitrite亞硝酸鹽
硝酸钠sodium nitrate硝酸鈉
硝酸钾potassium nitrate硝酸鉀
硝化甘油nitroglycerine
硝酸钙calcium nitrate硝酸鈣
朴硝(impure) mirabilite, Na2SO4x10H2O (used in TCM)
Exercise 1 of 4

Compound Meaning

What does 硝 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 硝

硝 is primarily used in technical contexts, such as agriculture and chemistry, rather than in everyday conversation.