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蔼 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
蔼ǎifriendlyg, 14 strokes, radical 艹, rank #98108, Very Hard
蔼ǎilush; friendly, affableg, 14 strokes, radical 艹, rank #98108, Very Hard
ǎi(ai3) T3
  1. 1friendly
  2. 2lush; friendly, affable
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026
蔼(藹)ǎi(ai3)

The character 蔼 (ǎi) conveys the meaning of being friendly or affable. It is often used to describe a warm, approachable demeanor or a lush and thriving environment. The character can be used in both personal and descriptive contexts, such as describing someone's personality or the beauty of nature.

Strokes14Radical艹Frequency#98108DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, being described as 蔼 is a compliment, indicating a person's warm and approachable nature, which is highly valued in social interactions. This character reflects the importance of harmony and friendliness in Chinese society.

Memory Tip

Imagine a friendly person sitting under a lush green tree, smiling warmly. The '艹' (grass radical) at the top signifies greenery, while the bottom part '艾' (ài) sounds like 'I' in English, representing the friendly person. Together, they paint a picture of a friendly atmosphere surrounded by nature.

Meanings of 蔼

ǎi(ai3)
1friendly
2lush; friendly, affable
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 蔼

蔼Simplified
藹Traditional
14Strokes
艹Radical
语素morpheme (morph.)Part of Speech
#65535Frequency Rank

Podcast: 蔼

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Podcast: 蔼

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AI Study Notes for 蔼

Quick Contrast

和蔼 (hé'ǎi) vs 亲切 (qīnqiè) — use 和蔼 for a more gentle, friendly demeanor, while 亲切 conveys a warm, caring approach that may include a sense of familiarity.

Memory Mnemonic

Imagine a friendly person sitting under a lush green tree, smiling warmly. The '艹' (grass radical) at the top signifies greenery, while the bottom part '艾' (ài) sounds like 'I' in English, representing the friendly person. Together, they paint a picture of a friendly atmosphere surrounded by nature.

Usage Notes

Be careful not to confuse 蔼 with similar-sounding characters, which may have different meanings. This word is generally informal but can be used in polite conversation. Common collocations include 蔼然 (ǎi rán), meaning 'affable', and it often appears in a positive context.

HSK Study Tips

While 蔼 is not an HSK level word, it shares phonetic similarities with other characters, making it easier to remember. Focus on the pronunciation and the context in which it is used to enhance your vocabulary.

Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, being described as 蔼 is a compliment, indicating a person's warm and approachable nature, which is highly valued in social interactions. This character reflects the importance of harmony and friendliness in Chinese society.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 蔼 with 艾 (ài), which refers to a type of herb. Remember that 蔼 relates to friendliness, while 艾 is more about plants. For example, saying '他很艾' (tā hěn ài) is incorrect; it should be '他很蔼' (tā hěn ǎi) to mean 'he is very friendly'.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 蔼

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Etymology of 蔼

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

Phonosemantic compound. 艹 represents the meaning and 谒 represents the sound. Simplified form of 藹.

Memory Hint

grass

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

Character Formation Type

What type of character formation is 蔼?

Decomposition of 蔼

IDS Structure⿱艹谒
蔼Full Character
=
艹cao3
top
谒ye4
bottom
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 蔼?

Write 蔼

蔼

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

Write correctly 3 times to earn XP

Grammar Patterns of 蔼

蔼 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 4

Complete the Sentence

我们认为他非常和____可亲，容易交谈。

We found him very approachable and easy to talk with.

Example Sentences for 蔼 (5)

Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
我们认为他非常和蔼可亲，容易交谈。

wǒ mén rèn wéi tā fēi cháng hé ǎi kě qīn， ， róng yì jiāo。

We found him very approachable and easy to talk with.
2
萨拉尽管表面上对所有相关的人依然和蔼可亲，内心却怒火中烧。

sà lā jìn guǎn biǎo miàn shàng duì suǒ yǒu xiāng guān de rén yī rán hé ǎi kě qīn， ， nèi xīn què nù huǒ zhōng。

Sara, while remaining outwardly amiable toward all concerned, was inwardly furious.
3
劳埃德·乔治极力想表现得平易近人、和蔼亲切。

láo āi dé· · qiáo zhì jí lì xiǎng biǎo xiàn dé píng yì jìn、 rén 、 hé ǎi。

Lloyd George was most anxious to be agreeable and pleasant.
4
匹克威克先生是位又矮又胖 、 和蔼乐观 、 心地纯洁的老绅士.

pǐ kè wēi kè xiān shēng shì wèi yòu ǎi yòu pàng、 、 hé ǎi lè、 guān 、 xīn dì chún jié de lǎo.

Mr. Pickwick is a stout, good - natured , cheerful, very simple - hearted old gentleman.
5
他矮矮胖胖,和蔼可亲,留了一嘴怪模怪样的牙刷式的小胡子.

tā ǎi ǎi pàng pàng, , hé ǎi kě, qīn , liú le yī zuǐ guài mó guài yàng de yá shuā shì de xiǎo.

He was short and tubby and amiable with an odd little toothbrush moustache.

Cultural Notes for 蔼

🏮Cultural insight

In Chinese culture, being described as 蔼 is a compliment, indicating a person's warm and approachable nature, which is highly valued in social interactions. This character reflects the importance of harmony and friendliness in Chinese society.

Word Family of 蔼

Words Containing This Character4
和蔼hé’ǎikindly和藹
和蔼可亲affable和藹可親
蔼ǎifriendly藹
蔼然amicable藹然
Exercise 1 of 4

Compound Meaning

What does 和蔼 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 蔼

It is pronounced as ǎi, with a rising tone.