Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026
腮sāi(sai1)
The character 腮 (sāi) primarily refers to the 'jaw' or 'cheek' area in humans and other animals. It can also denote 'gills' in fish, reflecting the anatomical features of these body parts. This term is often used in descriptive contexts related to anatomy or physical appearance.
Strokes13Radical⺼Frequency#17766DifficultyHard
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, facial features can be significant in discussions about beauty and health, often linked to traditional beliefs about balance and harmony in one's appearance.
Memory Tip
Imagine a fish (which has gills) making a funny face, puffing out its cheeks. The character 腮 has the 'flesh' radical (月), indicating it's related to a part of the body, and the sound 'sāi' can be remembered as a fish saying 'sigh' when it tries to breathe through its cheeks.
Meanings of 腮
sāi(sai1)
1jaw; gills
2cheek
Exercise 1 of 2
Listen & Choose the Meaning
Choose the correct answer:
About 腮
腮Simplified
13Strokes
⺼Radical
名词míngcínoun (n.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank
Podcast: 腮
Podcast: 腮
Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you
New here?
AI Study Notes for 腮
Quick Contrast
腮 (sāi) vs 面颊 (miànjiá) — use 腮 for anatomical references like 'jaw' or 'gills', while 面颊 is specifically for 'cheek' in a facial context.
Memory Mnemonic
Imagine a fish (which has gills) making a funny face, puffing out its cheeks. The character 腮 has the 'flesh' radical (月), indicating it's related to a part of the body, and the sound 'sāi' can be remembered as a fish saying 'sigh' when it tries to breathe through its cheeks.
Usage Notes
Be mindful of the context when using 腮; it is more common in informal settings when referring to facial features. A common mistake is confusing 腮 with similar characters like 颊 (jiá), which specifically means 'cheek.' Always check the tone to avoid mispronunciation, as it can change the meaning.
HSK Study Tips
While 腮 is not included in the HSK vocabulary lists, it can be helpful for students at HSK 3 or 4 when learning body parts. Focus on related vocabulary like 头 (tóu - head) and 眼 (yǎn - eye) to build your anatomical lexicon.
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, facial features can be significant in discussions about beauty and health, often linked to traditional beliefs about balance and harmony in one's appearance.
Common Mistakes
Learners often confuse 腮 with similar-sounding characters like 塞 (sāi), which means 'to plug' or 'to stop up.' Remember, 腮 specifically relates to body parts, while 塞 does not.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 腮
Premium — Locked
AI tone practice
Pro
Drill the tone of 腮 with AI-powered exercises, get instant feedback, and earn XP toward mastery. Interactive tone practice is part of Pro.
New here? to save your writing progress and earn XP.
Practice writing 腮 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 腮
腮 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
她的头发乌黑卷曲，脸上涂了____红。
She had curly black hair and rouged cheeks.
Example Sentences for 腮 (4)
Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
她的头发乌黑卷曲，脸上涂了腮红。
tā de tóu fā wū hēi juàn qū， ， liǎn shàng tú le sāi。
She had curly black hair and rouged cheeks.
2
他已经决定留起络腮胡子和髭。
tā yǐ jīng jué dìng liú qǐ luò sāi hú zǐ hé zī。
He has decided to grow a beard and a moustache.
3
他的腮帮子里塞满梨.
tā de sāi bāng zǐ lǐ sāi mǎn lí.
His cheek is stuffed with pear.
4
他个子高,头顶秃,腮边蓄着鬓胡.
tā gè zǐ gāo, , tóu dǐng, tū , sāi biān xù zháo.
He was a tall bald man wearing sideburns.
Cultural Notes for 腮
🏮Cultural insight
In Chinese culture, facial features can be significant in discussions about beauty and health, often linked to traditional beliefs about balance and harmony in one's appearance.
Word Family of 腮
Words Containing This Character9
腮sāicheek
腮腺炎mumps
腮红rouge (cosmetics)腮紅
腮帮子cheek腮幫子
络腮胡子full beard絡腮鬍子
腮腺parotid gland
抓耳挠腮to tweak one's ears and scratch one's cheeks (as an expression of anxiety, delight, frustration etc) (idiom)抓耳撓腮
落腮胡子full beard落腮鬍子
腮颊cheek腮頰
Exercise 1 of 4
Compound Meaning
What does 腮 mean?
Frequently Asked Questions about 腮
腮 can refer to 'jaw,' 'cheek,' or 'gills,' depending on the context, such as when talking about animals or humans.
腮 is pronounced as 'sāi' with a high-level tone. Make sure to maintain the tone to convey the correct meaning.
腮 is generally used in informal contexts, particularly in conversation or descriptive writing, rather than formal documents.
