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荨 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
荨xúnnettlen, 9 strokes, radical 艹, rank #39250, Very Hard
xún(xun2)xun T2
  1. 1nettle
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March 24, 2026

荨(蕁)xún(xun2)

荨 (xún) refers to the plant commonly known as nettle, which is known for its stinging hairs that can cause irritation upon contact with skin. It is often used in traditional medicine and can also be found in various culinary contexts, particularly in herbal teas or soups. Understanding this term is useful for those interested in botany or traditional Chinese medicine.

Strokes9Radical艹Frequency#39250DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural note

In traditional Chinese medicine, nettle (荨) is sometimes incorporated into remedies for its perceived health benefits, highlighting the cultural importance of plants in Chinese herbal practices.

Memory tip

Imagine a 'sun' shining down on a 'nettle' plant. The character 荨 has the radical '艹' (grass) on top, indicating it's a plant. Picture the sun (xún sounds like 'sun') warming the nettle, which is known for its sting, making it memorable.

Meanings of 荨

xún(xun2)
1nettle
Exercise 1 of 2

By ear

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About 荨

荨Simplified
蕁Traditional
9Strokes
艹Radical
名词míngcínoun (n.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 荨

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Podcast: 荨

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AI Study Notes for 荨

Usage Notes

Learners should note that 荨 is a more specialized vocabulary term and may not be used in everyday conversation. It is typically found in botanical or medicinal contexts. Common mistakes include confusing it with other similar-sounding plant names, so be attentive to context.

HSK Study Tips

While 荨 is not included in the HSK levels, it connects with other plant-related vocabulary. Focus on recognizing similar characters and their radicals, which can enhance your understanding of botanical terms in Mandarin.

Common Mistakes

A common mistake is confusing 荨 with other plant names like 蕨 (jué, fern) due to similar appearances. Remember, 荨 specifically refers to nettle, which has distinct properties.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 荨

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Etymology of 荨

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

Phonosemantic compound. 艹 represents the meaning and 寻 represents the sound. Simplified form of 蕁.

Memory hint

grass

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

Origin

荨 = 艹 + 寻. What kind of character does that make it?

Decomposition of 荨

IDS Structure⿱艹寻
荨Full character
=
艹cao3
top
寻xun2
bottom
Exercise 1 of 2

Parts

Which of these is part of 荨?

How to say nettle in Chinese

“nettle” in Chinese is荨xún

荨 (xún) refers to the plant commonly known as nettle, which is known for its stinging hairs that can cause irritation upon contact with skin. It is often used in traditional medicine and can also be found in various culinary contexts, particularly in herbal teas or soups. Understanding this term is useful for those interested in botany or traditional Chinese medicine.

When to use 荨

Learners should note that 荨 is a more specialized vocabulary term and may not be used in everyday conversation. It is typically found in botanical or medicinal contexts. Common mistakes include confusing it with other similar-sounding plant names, so be attentive to context.

What learners get wrong

A common mistake is confusing 荨 with other plant names like 蕨 (jué, fern) due to similar appearances. Remember, 荨 specifically refers to nettle, which has distinct properties.

Write 荨

荨

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

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Grammar Patterns of 荨

荨 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). The example sentences below show it in action, with practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) on every line.

Exercise 1 of 4

Fill the gap

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

____麻长有四方茎和细小茸毛。

The stinging nettle has a square stem and little hairs.

Example Sentences for 荨 (5)

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1
荨麻长有四方茎和细小茸毛。

xún má cháng yǒu sìfāng jīng hé xì xiǎo rōng máo。

The stinging nettle has a square stem and little hairs.
2
荨麻扎了他们的腿。

xún má zā le tāmen de tuǐ。

The nettles stung their legs.
3
她不是一朵香气扑鼻的玫瑰花, 但至少是可以握在手里的荨麻.

tā bùshì yī duǒ xiāng qì pū bí de méigui huā, dàn zhìshǎo shì kěyǐ wò zài shǒulǐ de xún má.

She mightn't be inhaled as a rose, but she might be grasped as a nettle.
4
他们拔除了坟墓上的茂草和荨麻,砍断矮树和根株.

tāmen bá chúle fénmù shàng de mào cǎo hé xún má, kǎn duàn ǎi shù hé gēn zhū.

They plucked the long grass and nettles from the tombs, thinned the poor shrubs and roots.
5
目的: 观察抗荨丸治疗飞行员急慢性荨麻疹的临床疗效.

mùdì: guānchá kàng xún wán zhìliáo fēixíngyuán jí mànxìng xún má zhěn de línchuáng liáoxiào.

Objective : To observe the clinical effect of Kangxunwan on acute urticaria in pilots.

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Word Family of 荨

Words containing this character3
荨xúnnettle蕁
荨麻疹urticaria蕁麻疹
荨麻nettle蕁麻
Exercise 1 of 2

Words with 荨

What does 荨麻疹 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 荨

It's pronounced as 'xún', with a rising tone.

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