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芗 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
芗xiāngfragrant, aromatic; the smell of herbsns, 6 strokes, radical 艹
芗xiāngaromatic herb used for seasoningunknown, 6 strokes, radical 艹
xiāng(xiang1) T1
  1. 1fragrant, aromatic; the smell of herbs
  2. 2aromatic herb used for seasoning
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March 24, 2026

芗(薌)xiāng(xiang1)

The character 芗 (xiāng) refers to something that is fragrant or aromatic, often in the context of herbs used for seasoning. It is commonly associated with pleasant smells, particularly those derived from plants, and can also indicate a type of aromatic herb that enhances the flavor of dishes.

Strokes6Radical艹
Cultural Note

In traditional Chinese medicine and cuisine, the use of aromatic herbs like 芗 is significant for flavor enhancement and health benefits. Many Chinese dishes rely on these fragrant herbs to create complex flavor profiles.

Memory Tip

Imagine a garden filled with aromatic herbs. The character 芗 resembles a plant with its radical (艹) at the top, symbolizing vegetation. Picture the smell of these herbs wafting through the air, helping you remember that 芗 (xiāng) relates to fragrance.

Meanings of 芗

xiāng(xiang1)
1fragrant, aromatic; the smell of herbs
2aromatic herb used for seasoning
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 芗

芗Simplified
薌Traditional
6Strokes
艹Radical
地名míngcíplace name (p.n.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 芗

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Podcast: 芗

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AI Study Notes for 芗

Usage Notes

While 芗 is not commonly used in everyday conversation, it appears in culinary contexts or discussions about herbal remedies. Be cautious not to confuse it with 香 (xiāng), which is more frequently used to denote fragrance in general. The tone must be pronounced correctly as xiāng to convey the right meaning.

HSK Study Tips

Although 芗 is not part of the official HSK vocabulary, it complements other words related to fragrance and aroma, such as 香 (xiāng). Focus on recognizing its usage in specific contexts, especially when discussing food or traditional medicine.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 芗 (xiāng) with 香 (xiāng) due to their similar pronunciations and meanings. For example, saying '我喜欢这个香味的芗' (I like this fragrant xiāng) is incorrect; '香味' should be used instead of '芗' in this context.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 芗

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Etymology of 芗

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

herb

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

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 芗

  1. 1The meaning half艹 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half乡 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
  3. 3The giveawayherb
  4. 4On the record aspictophonetic.

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

Want the full history of 芗? 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 芗?

Decomposition of 芗

IDS Structure⿱艹乡
芗Full Character
=
艹cao3
top
乡xiang1
bottom
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 芗?

How to say fragrant, aromatic; the smell of herbs in Chinese

“fragrant, aromatic; the smell of herbs” in Chinese is芗xiāng

The character 芗 (xiāng) refers to something that is fragrant or aromatic, often in the context of herbs used for seasoning. It is commonly associated with pleasant smells, particularly those derived from plants, and can also indicate a type of aromatic herb that enhances the flavor of dishes.

When to use 芗

While 芗 is not commonly used in everyday conversation, it appears in culinary contexts or discussions about herbal remedies. Be cautious not to confuse it with 香 (xiāng), which is more frequently used to denote fragrance in general. The tone must be pronounced correctly as xiāng to convey the right meaning.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 芗 (xiāng) with 香 (xiāng) due to their similar pronunciations and meanings. For example, saying '我喜欢这个香味的芗' (I like this fragrant xiāng) is incorrect; '香味' should be used instead of '芗' in this context.

Write 芗

芗

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

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Word Family of 芗

Words Containing This Character3
芗xiāngfragrant薌
芗剧variety of opera popular in southern Fujian and Taiwan薌劇
芗城区Xiangcheng district of Zhangzhou city 漳州市[Zhāng​zhōu​shì], Fujian薌城區
Exercise 1 of 3

Compound Meaning

What does 芗 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 芗

The correct pronunciation is 'xiāng' with a high level tone.

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