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葷 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
葷hūnnon-vegetarian food; garlic; a foul smellx, 13 strokes, radical 艹
hūn(hun1)hun T1
  1. 1non-vegetarian food; garlic; a foul smell
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March 24, 2026

葷hūn(hun1)

The character '葷' refers to non-vegetarian food, particularly meat-based dishes. It is often used in culinary contexts to differentiate between vegetarian and meat options, and it can also imply strong or foul smells associated with certain foods. Understanding this character is essential for navigating menus and food-related conversations in Chinese-speaking environments.

Strokes13Radical艹
Cultural Note

'葷' is particularly relevant in Chinese cuisine, where dietary restrictions, such as vegetarianism, are common. In many Chinese households, meals are carefully prepared with either meat or vegetables, and knowing this term helps in understanding menu choices during festivals or family gatherings.

Memory Tip

Imagine a plate filled with a variety of meats, giving off a strong aroma that fills the room. The character '葷' has the radical '艹' (grass) on top, indicating it relates to plants, but here it contrasts with ‘肉’ (meat) which you can visualize as a juicy steak beneath the grass—suggesting it's not vegetarian.

Meanings of 葷

hūn(hun1)
1non-vegetarian food; garlic; a foul smell
Exercise 1 of 2

By ear

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About 葷

葷Simplified
13Strokes
艹Radical
非语素字non-morpheme character (n-m.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 葷

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Podcast: 葷

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AI Study Notes for 葷

Quick Contrast

素 (sù) - use '葷' when referring to meat-based dishes, while '素' specifically denotes vegetarian options.

Usage Notes

Common mistakes include confusing '葷' with '素' (sù), which means vegetarian. This word is generally used in informal contexts, such as at restaurants or home cooking discussions. Pay attention to the tonal pronunciation 'hūn' to avoid mixing it up with other similar-sounding words.

HSK Study Tips

Although '葷' is not part of the HSK vocabulary list, it connects to cultural discussions around food, which are relevant for HSK levels 3 and above. Students should focus on food-related vocabulary and phrases, as they are commonly used in everyday conversations.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse '葷' with '香' (xiāng), which means fragrant or aromatic. For example, saying '这道菜是香的' (This dish is fragrant) instead of '这道菜是葷的' (This dish is non-vegetarian) alters the intended meaning.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 葷

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Etymology of 葷

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

Phonosemantic compound. 艹 represents the meaning and 军 represents the sound. Simplified form of 葷.

Memory Hint

plant

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

Origin

葷 = 艹 + 軍. What kind of character does that make it?

Decomposition of 葷

IDS Structure⿱艹軍
葷Full Character
=
艹cao3
top
軍jun1
bottom
Exercise 1 of 2

Parts

Which of these is part of 葷?

How to say non-vegetarian food; garlic; a foul smell in Chinese

“non-vegetarian food; garlic; a foul smell” in Chinese is葷hūn

The character '葷' refers to non-vegetarian food, particularly meat-based dishes. It is often used in culinary contexts to differentiate between vegetarian and meat options, and it can also imply strong or foul smells associated with certain foods. Understanding this character is essential for navigating menus and food-related conversations in Chinese-speaking environments.

When to use 葷

Common mistakes include confusing '葷' with '素' (sù), which means vegetarian. This word is generally used in informal contexts, such as at restaurants or home cooking discussions. Pay attention to the tonal pronunciation 'hūn' to avoid mixing it up with other similar-sounding words.

葷 or something close to it

素 (sù) - use '葷' when referring to meat-based dishes, while '素' specifically denotes vegetarian options.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse '葷' with '香' (xiāng), which means fragrant or aromatic. For example, saying '这道菜是香的' (This dish is fragrant) instead of '这道菜是葷的' (This dish is non-vegetarian) alters the intended meaning.

Write 葷

葷

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

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Cultural Notes for 葷

🌏Cross-cultural Insight

In contrast to many Western diets that often incorporate both meat and vegetarian options seamlessly, Chinese cuisine frequently categorizes food strictly into '葷' and '素', reflecting cultural attitudes towards food preparation and consumption.

Word Family of 葷

Words Containing This Character6
荤hūnvulgar葷
荤菜non-vegetarian dish (including meat, fish, garlic, onion etc)葷菜
七荤八素confused七葷八素
荤腥meat and fish葷腥
开荤to resume a meat diet開葷
荤油lard葷油
Exercise 1 of 4

Characters with 葷

What does 荤 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 葷

The opposite is '素' (sù), which refers to vegetarian food.

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