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萋 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
luxuriant foliagex, 11 strokes, radical 艹, Very Hard
Celosia argenteaunknown, 11 strokes, radical 艹, Very Hard
luxuriantunknown, 11 strokes, radical 艹, Very Hard
(qi1) T1
  1. 1luxuriant foliage
  2. 2Celosia argentea
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026
(qi1)

The character 萋 (qī) refers to luxuriant foliage, often symbolizing lush growth and vitality in nature. It can also specifically denote the plant Celosia argentea, known for its vibrant flowers. This character is commonly used in literary contexts to evoke imagery of flourishing greenery.

Strokes11RadicalFrequency#—DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note

In Chinese poetry, lush greenery is often associated with beauty, tranquility, and the passage of time, making 萋 a meaningful character in expressing these themes. It reflects the Chinese appreciation for nature, particularly in literary forms.

Memory Tip

Imagine a lush green field full of beautiful flowers, where the '木' (tree radical) stands tall, representing growth and life. The sound 'qī' can be remembered by picturing a cheerful 'key' that unlocks the beauty of nature's foliage.

Meanings of 萋

(qi1)
1luxuriant foliage
2Celosia argentea
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 萋

Simplified
11Strokes
Radical
非语素字non-morpheme character (n-m.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 萋

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Podcast:

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AI Study Notes for 萋

Memory Mnemonic

Imagine a lush green field full of beautiful flowers, where the '木' (tree radical) stands tall, representing growth and life. The sound 'qī' can be remembered by picturing a cheerful 'key' that unlocks the beauty of nature's foliage.

Usage Notes

While 萋 is not commonly used in everyday conversation, it often appears in poetry and literature. Learners should be cautious not to confuse it with similar-sounding words or characters that have different meanings. It is generally more formal and poetic in usage.

HSK Study Tips

Although 萋 is not included in HSK levels, it can be linked to HSK 5 vocabulary related to nature and plants. Focus on recognizing its literary context and connecting it to other words that describe natural beauty, such as 花 (huā) for flower and 草 (cǎo) for grass.

Cultural Note

In Chinese poetry, lush greenery is often associated with beauty, tranquility, and the passage of time, making 萋 a meaningful character in expressing these themes. It reflects the Chinese appreciation for nature, particularly in literary forms.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 萋 with similar characters like 齐 (qí), which means 'even' or 'uniform.' A common mistake is using 萋 in a casual context, where a simpler term like '绿' (lǜ) for 'green' would be more appropriate.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 萋

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Etymology of 萋

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

grass

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

Character Formation Type

What type of character formation is 萋?

Decomposition of 萋

IDS Structure⿱艹妻
Full Character
=
cao3
top
qi1
bottom
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 萋?

Write 萋

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

Write correctly 3 times to earn XP

Cultural Notes for 萋

🏮Cultural insight

In Chinese poetry, lush greenery is often associated with beauty, tranquility, and the passage of time, making 萋 a meaningful character in expressing these themes. It reflects the Chinese appreciation for nature, particularly in literary forms.

Word Family of 萋

Words Containing This Character2
luxuriant
萋萋luxuriant
Exercise 1 of 2

Compound Meaning

What does 萋 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 萋

You can say, '春天的花草都很萋,' meaning 'The flowers and grass in spring are lush.'