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骸 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
háiskeleton, body; leg bonen, 15 strokes, radical 骨, rank #29083, Very Hard
háibones of the bodyunknown, 15 strokes, radical 骨, rank #29083, Very Hard
hái(hai2) T2
  1. 1skeleton, body; leg bone
  2. 2bones of the body
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March 24, 2026
hái(hai2)

The character 骸 (hái) refers to the skeleton or bones of a body, particularly emphasizing the physical structure. It is often used in contexts related to anatomy, death, or the remains of living beings, conveying a sense of what is left after life. It's a formal term that might appear in literature or medical discussions.

Strokes15RadicalFrequency#29083DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note

In traditional Chinese culture, the concept of bones and skulls is tied to beliefs about ancestry and the afterlife, influencing practices such as ancestor worship and funerary customs. The term 骸 may appear in discussions about these cultural practices.

Memory Tip

Imagine a skeletal figure at a graveyard, surrounded by bones (骸). The character has the radical for 'bones' (骨) which visually represents the skeletal structure, helping you remember it represents skeletal remains. The sound 'hái' can remind you of 'high,' as in a tall skeleton standing above the ground.

Meanings of 骸

hái(hai2)
1skeleton, body; leg bone
2bones of the body
Exercise 1 of 2

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About 骸

Simplified
15Strokes
Radical
名词míngcínoun (n.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 骸

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AI Study Notes for 骸

Quick Contrast

骸 (hái) vs 骨 (gǔ) — use 骸 when referring specifically to the remains or skeleton, while 骨 is more general for bones.

Memory Mnemonic

Imagine a skeletal figure at a graveyard, surrounded by bones (骸). The character has the radical for 'bones' (骨) which visually represents the skeletal structure, helping you remember it represents skeletal remains. The sound 'hái' can remind you of 'high,' as in a tall skeleton standing above the ground.

Usage Notes

骸 is a formal term and may not be commonly used in everyday conversations; instead, you might encounter it in literary or medical contexts. Learners often confuse it with 骨 (gǔ), which means bone, so it's important to remember that 骸 refers to the entire skeleton. It is sometimes misused in informal settings where simpler terms would suffice.

HSK Study Tips

Although 骸 is not part of the HSK vocabulary, understanding it can enrich your comprehension of anatomical terms. Students at this level should focus on the radicals and components of characters to improve their reading skills, especially in specialized texts.

Cultural Note

In traditional Chinese culture, the concept of bones and skulls is tied to beliefs about ancestry and the afterlife, influencing practices such as ancestor worship and funerary customs. The term 骸 may appear in discussions about these cultural practices.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 骸 with its homophone, 还 (hái), which means 'still' or 'return.' An example mistake is saying 骸 means 'to return' instead of recognizing it as 'skeleton.' Always associate 骸 with anatomy to avoid this confusion.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 骸

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Etymology of 骸

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

Phonosemantic compound. 骨 represents the meaning and 亥 represents the sound.

Memory Hint

bone

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 骸?

Decomposition of 骸

IDS Structure⿰骨亥
Full Character
=
gu3
left
hai4
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 骸?

Write 骸

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

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Grammar Patterns of 骸

骸 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 4

Complete the Sentence

马克被人从他着火的汽车残____中拉了出来。

Mark was dragged from the burning wreckage of his car.

Example Sentences for 骸 (7)

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1
马克被人从他着火的汽车残骸中拉了出来。

mǎ kè bèi rén cóng tā zháo huǒ de qì chē cán hái zhōng lā le chū lái。

Mark was dragged from the burning wreckage of his car.
2
北部又挖掘出了更多的人体遗骸。

běi bù yòu wā jué chū le gēng duō de rén tǐ yí hái。

More human remains have been unearthed in the north.
3
残骸的确切位置是在1988年发现的。

cán hái de què qiē wèi zhì shì zài1988 1988 nián fā xiàn。

The precise location of the wreck was discovered in
4
海绿石 、 碳酸盐骨骸碎屑 、 海相化石和胶磷矿普遍出现.

hǎi lǜ shí、 、 tàn suān yán gǔ hái suì、 xiè 、 hǎi xiāng huà shí hé jiāo lín kuàng pǔ biàn.

Glauconite, detrital carbonate skeletal debris, marine fossils, and collophane are commonly present.
5
这架庞大的残骸,使她的新婚生活更变得象梦一般光怪陆离.

zhè jià páng dà de cán hái, , shǐ tā de xīn hūn shēng huó gēng biàn dé xiàng mèng yī bān guāng guài lù.

This stupendous fragmentariness heightened the dream - like strangeness of her bridal life.
6
汽车残骸熊熊燃烧,三人葬身火海,救援人员奋力解救被困的司机们。

qì chē cán hái xióng xióng rán shāo, , sān rén zàng shēn huǒ, hǎi , jiù yuán rén yuán fèn lì jiě jiù bèi kùn de sī。

Three people died as wreckage blazed, and rescuers fought to release trapped drivers.
7
维修之后,主要遗骸和剩馀物留在了领地上.

wéi xiū zhī hòu, , zhǔ yào yí hái hé shèng yú wù liú zài le lǐng dì.

After maintenance the main remains and are left on the domain.

Cultural Notes for 骸

🏮Cultural insight

In traditional Chinese culture, the concept of bones and skulls is tied to beliefs about ancestry and the afterlife, influencing practices such as ancestor worship and funerary customs. The term 骸 may appear in discussions about these cultural practices.

Word Family of 骸

Words Containing This Character7
残骸remains殘骸
háibones of the body
遗骸(dead) human remains遺骸
骸骨skeleton
尸骸corpse屍骸
放浪形骸to abandon all restraint (idiom)
土木形骸earth and wood framework (idiom); plain and undecorated body
Exercise 1 of 4

Compound Meaning

What does 残骸 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 骸

骸 refers to the entire skeleton or remains, while 骨 specifically means 'bone.'