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饷 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
饷xiǎngrations and pay for soldiersn, 9 strokes, radical 饣
饷xiǎngsoldier's payunknown, 9 strokes, radical 饣
xiǎng(xiang3)xiang T3
  1. 1rations and pay for soldiers
  2. 2soldier's pay
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March 24, 2026

饷(餉)xiǎng(xiang3)

饷 (xiǎng) refers to rations or pay specifically allocated for soldiers. This term is often used in military contexts to describe compensation provided to armed forces for their services, which can include food supplies as well as monetary payment.

Strokes9Radical饣
Cultural Note

In ancient China, the provision of 饷 was crucial for maintaining troop morale and effectiveness, reflecting the importance of logistics in military history. This concept is still relevant in modern discussions about military funding.

Memory Tip

Imagine a soldier receiving a 'sack' of food and money as his pay. The character 饷 looks like a plate (the top part) filled with food (the bottom part). The 'xiǎng' sounds like 'sack', reminding you of the sack of rations he receives.

Meanings of 饷

xiǎng(xiang3)
1rations and pay for soldiers
2soldier's pay
Exercise 1 of 2

By ear

Play it, then pick what 饷 means.

About 饷

饷Simplified
餉Traditional
9Strokes
饣Radical
名词míngcínoun (n.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 饷

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Podcast: 饷

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AI Study Notes for 饷

Usage Notes

Be cautious with the tone when pronouncing xiǎng; the third tone can easily be confused with other similar-sounding words. 饷 is typically used in formal or historical contexts rather than everyday conversation, so it's best suited for discussions about military or historical matters.

HSK Study Tips

While 饷 is not part of the standard HSK vocabulary, understanding military-related terms can help expand your vocabulary at HSK Level 5 and beyond. Focus on related terms like 军 (jūn, army) and 兵 (bīng, soldier) to build contextual understanding.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 饷 with similar-sounding words like 享 (xiǎng, to enjoy). For example, using 饷 to mean 'enjoy' would be incorrect; remember that 饷 specifically relates to military pay.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 饷

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Etymology of 饷

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

Phonosemantic compound. 饣 represents the meaning and 向 represents the sound. Simplified form of 餉.

Memory Hint

food

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

Origin

饷 = 饣 + 向. What kind of character does that make it?

Decomposition of 饷

IDS Structure⿰饣向
饷Full Character
=
饣shi2
left
向Xiang4
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Parts

Which of these is part of 饷?

How to say rations and pay for soldiers in Chinese

“rations and pay for soldiers” in Chinese is饷xiǎng

饷 (xiǎng) refers to rations or pay specifically allocated for soldiers. This term is often used in military contexts to describe compensation provided to armed forces for their services, which can include food supplies as well as monetary payment.

When to use 饷

Be cautious with the tone when pronouncing xiǎng; the third tone can easily be confused with other similar-sounding words. 饷 is typically used in formal or historical contexts rather than everyday conversation, so it's best suited for discussions about military or historical matters.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 饷 with similar-sounding words like 享 (xiǎng, to enjoy). For example, using 饷 to mean 'enjoy' would be incorrect; remember that 饷 specifically relates to military pay.

Write 饷

饷

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

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Grammar Patterns of 饷

饷 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). It carries 2 related meanings, each with its own usage notes below. The example sentences below show it in action, with practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) on every line.

Exercise 1 of 1

Fill the gap

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

有些人讽刺地说战地的薪____很不错,人们可借这次战争赚到很多钱.

Some say sardonically that combat pay is good and that one can do quite well out of this war.

Example Sentences for 饷 (1)

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1
有些人讽刺地说战地的薪饷很不错,人们可借这次战争赚到很多钱.

yǒu xiē rén fěng cì dì shuō zhàn dì de xīn xiǎng hěn bù cuò, , rén mén kě jiè zhè cì zhàn zhēng zhuàn dào hěn duō.

Some say sardonically that combat pay is good and that one can do quite well out of this war.

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Word Family of 饷

Words Containing This Character4
军饷(soldier's) pay軍餉
饷xiǎngsoldier's pay餉
粮饷army provisions糧餉
兵饷pay and provisions for soldiers兵餉
Exercise 1 of 3

Words with 饷

What does 军饷 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 饷

工资 (gōngzī) refers to salary or wages for regular civilian jobs, while 饷 specifically pertains to military pay and rations.

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