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苷 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
苷gānlicoricex, 8 strokes, radical 艹
苷gānglycosideunknown, 8 strokes, radical 艹
gān(gan1)gan T1
  1. 1licorice
  2. 2glycoside
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March 24, 2026

苷gān(gan1)

The character 苷 (gān) primarily refers to 'licorice,' a plant known for its sweet flavor and medicinal properties. It can also denote glycosides, which are compounds that play significant roles in various biological processes. This term is often used in herbal medicine and discussions about flavors in food.

Strokes8Radical艹
Cultural Note

Licorice has a long history in traditional Chinese medicine, where it is valued for its ability to harmonize other herbs in a formula. It’s also commonly used in various Chinese sweets and teas, reflecting its cultural significance in culinary practices.

Memory Tip

Imagine a sweet candy made from licorice roots, which look like twisted vines. The character 苷 combines the radical for grass (艹) at the top, reminding you of plants, with the phonetic component 'gān' that sounds like 'gan' in 'candy.' Visualize a candy shop filled with licorice to remember the taste-related meaning.

Meanings of 苷

gān(gan1)
1licorice
2glycoside
Exercise 1 of 2

By ear

Play it, then pick what 苷 means.

About 苷

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

Podcast: 苷

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Podcast: 苷

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AI Study Notes for 苷

Usage Notes

Learners often confuse 苷 with similar-sounding characters. It's more common in formal contexts such as herbal medicine or scientific discussions. Be cautious of the tones; 'gān' (first tone) is different from 'gān' (fourth tone) which means 'to dry.'

HSK Study Tips

Although 苷 is not included in the HSK levels, understanding it can enhance vocabulary related to health and nutrition. Students should focus on recognizing this character in the context of herbal remedies and food science, which may appear in advanced readings.

Common Mistakes

A common mistake is confusing 苷 with another character that sounds similar, leading to miscommunication about its meaning. For instance, mixing it up with 甘 (gān), which means 'sweet,' can lead to wrong interpretations in context.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 苷

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Etymology of 苷

Formation TypeIdeographic 指事
六书 ClassificationIdeograph (指事字)~2% of characters
Memory Hint

A sweet 甘 plant 艹; 甘 also provides the pronunciation

Learn more about Ideograph (指事字) characters
Exercise 1 of 1

Origin

What kind of character is 苷?

Decomposition of 苷

IDS Structure⿱艹甘
苷Full Character
=
艹cao3
top
甘Gan1
bottom
Exercise 1 of 2

Parts

Which of these is part of 苷?

How to say licorice in Chinese

“licorice” in Chinese is苷gān

The character 苷 (gān) primarily refers to 'licorice,' a plant known for its sweet flavor and medicinal properties. It can also denote glycosides, which are compounds that play significant roles in various biological processes. This term is often used in herbal medicine and discussions about flavors in food.

When to use 苷

Learners often confuse 苷 with similar-sounding characters. It's more common in formal contexts such as herbal medicine or scientific discussions. Be cautious of the tones; 'gān' (first tone) is different from 'gān' (fourth tone) which means 'to dry.'

What learners get wrong

A common mistake is confusing 苷 with another character that sounds similar, leading to miscommunication about its meaning. For instance, mixing it up with 甘 (gān), which means 'sweet,' can lead to wrong interpretations in context.

Write 苷

苷

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

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Grammar Patterns of 苷

苷 carries 2 distinct meanings. Below you'll find the patterns that show how it combines with other words, plus example sentences pulled directly from native usage.

Exercise 1 of 2

Fill the gap

Type the missing word. Pinyin works; then pick the character.

在哺乳动物细胞中脑磷脂和神经节____脂可能执行同样的功能.

Those in mammalian cells, the cerebrosides and gangliosides, may perform similar functions.

Example Sentences for 苷 (2)

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1
在哺乳动物细胞中脑磷脂和神经节苷脂可能执行同样的功能.

zài bǔ rǔ dòng wù xì bāo zhōng nǎo lín zhī hé shén jīng jié gān zhī kě néng zhí háng tóng yàng de gōng néng.

Those in mammalian cells, the cerebrosides and gangliosides, may perform similar functions.
2
目的: 探索消石利胆丸中黄芩苷的定量方法.

mù de: : tàn suǒ xiāo shí lì dǎn wán zhōng huáng qín gān de dìng liáng fāng.

Objective : To explore the quantitative method for Baicalin in Xiaoshilidan Pills.

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Word Family of 苷

Words Containing This Character5
苷gānlicorice
核苷酸nucleotide
腺苷adenosine
核苷nucleoside
糖苷glucoside
Exercise 1 of 4

Words with 苷

What does 核苷酸 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 苷

It refers to licorice, which is often used in traditional Chinese medicine for its sweetening properties and health benefits.

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