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銨 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
銨ǎnammoniumx, 14 strokes, radical 釒
ǎn(an3) T3
  1. 1ammonium
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

銨ǎn(an3)

The character 銨 (ǎn) refers specifically to 'ammonium,' which is a positively charged ion derived from ammonia. It is commonly used in chemistry and various industrial applications, particularly in fertilizers and cleaning agents. Understanding this term is essential for those studying chemistry or working in related fields.

Strokes14Radical釒
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, the use of ammonium compounds in agriculture is significant, as they are crucial for enhancing soil fertility and crop yield. This reflects the importance of agriculture in Chinese history and daily life.

Memory Tip

Imagine a scientist holding a large 'ammonium' balloon (the character 銨) filled with 'NH4+' gas. The '金' (metal) radical on the left suggests its connection to chemistry, while the '安' (peace) on the right could represent the stability ammonium provides in reactions.

Meanings of 銨

ǎn(an3)
1ammonium
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 銨

銨Simplified
14Strokes
釒Radical
非语素字non-morpheme character (n-m.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 銨

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Podcast: 銨

Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you

AI Study Notes for 銨

Usage Notes

This term is primarily used in scientific and technical contexts, so it may not be common in everyday conversation. Be careful with the pronunciation: the tone 'ǎn' is a rising tone, which is different from other similar-sounding words. It often collocates with terms like '氨' (ān, ammonia) and '盐' (yán, salt).

HSK Study Tips

While 銨 is not part of the HSK vocabulary, it connects to chemistry-related words that might appear in higher-level HSK studies. Students should focus on recognizing this character in scientific texts and understanding its role in chemical equations.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 銨 with similar characters like 安 (ān, peace) due to their visual similarities. Remember, 銨 specifically relates to ammonium, whereas 安 refers to safety or peace.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 銨

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Etymology of 銨

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

Phonosemantic compound. 钅 represents the meaning and 安 represents the sound. Simplified form of 銨.

Memory Hint

metal

Semantic (meaning)釒
+
Phonetic (sound)安
Learn more about Phono-semantic (形声字) characters

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 銨

Phonosemantic compound. 钅 represents the meaning and 安 represents the sound. Simplified form of 銨.

  1. 1The meaning half釒 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half安 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
  3. 3The giveawaymetal
  4. 4On the record aspictophonetic.

Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.

Want the full history of 銨? Jason searches the paleographic record, weighs the competing accounts and judges the popular story.

Charged once for this character — everyone reads it afterwards.
Exercise 1 of 1

Character Formation Type

What type of character formation is 銨?

Decomposition of 銨

IDS Structure⿰釒安
銨Full Character
=
釒jin1
left
安An1
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 銨?

How to say ammonium in Chinese

“ammonium” in Chinese is銨ǎn

The character 銨 (ǎn) refers specifically to 'ammonium,' which is a positively charged ion derived from ammonia. It is commonly used in chemistry and various industrial applications, particularly in fertilizers and cleaning agents. Understanding this term is essential for those studying chemistry or working in related fields.

When to use 銨

This term is primarily used in scientific and technical contexts, so it may not be common in everyday conversation. Be careful with the pronunciation: the tone 'ǎn' is a rising tone, which is different from other similar-sounding words. It often collocates with terms like '氨' (ān, ammonia) and '盐' (yán, salt).

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 銨 with similar characters like 安 (ān, peace) due to their visual similarities. Remember, 銨 specifically relates to ammonium, whereas 安 refers to safety or peace.

Write 銨

銨

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

Write correctly 3 times to earn XP

Word Family of 銨

Words Containing This Character4
铵ǎnammonium銨
硝酸铵ammonium nitrate硝酸銨
硫酸铵ammonium sulfate硫酸銨
氯化铵ammonium chloride氯化銨
Exercise 1 of 4

Compound Meaning

What does 铵 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 銨

Ammonium is important in many chemical reactions and is widely used in fertilizers to promote plant growth.

Jason Recommends

Not sure what to learn after 銨?

Jason picks three words from your level and explains why each one is worth your time next. It takes a free account so he knows what you already know.