Mandarin TempleMandarin Temple Beta Come for Knowledge. Stay for Wisdom.
Start your Chinese Learning JourneyStart Now
魖 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
魖xūblackx, 22 strokes, radical 鬼
xū(xu1) T1
  1. 1black
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

魖xū(xu1)

The character 魖 (xū) refers to a specific shade of black, often associated with darkness or shadows. It is less commonly used in everyday language but can appear in literary contexts or discussions about color, especially when describing deep or intense black hues.

Strokes22Radical鬼
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, colors often have symbolic meanings, and black can represent mystery, depth, and sometimes negativity. 魖 may evoke feelings of the unknown or the supernatural, which is significant in various Chinese literary works.

Memory Tip

Imagine a deep, shadowy figure lurking in the dark, embodying the concept of 黑 (hēi) for black. The character 魖 includes the radical 魚 (fish), suggesting that even in the depths of the ocean, everything is dark and mysterious. Remember: 'xū' sounds like 'shoo,' as if you are shooing away darkness.

Meanings of 魖

xū(xu1)
1black
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 魖

魖Simplified
22Strokes
鬼Radical
非语素字non-morpheme character (n-m.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 魖

JasonAmy

Podcast: 魖

Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you

AI Study Notes for 魖

Usage Notes

While 魖 is a valid character, it is rare and may not be recognized in casual conversation. Learners should be cautious not to confuse it with more common terms for black, such as 黑 (hēi). It's primarily used in literary or poetic contexts.

HSK Study Tips

Although 魖 is not included in the HSK vocabulary lists, understanding its components can help learners connect with other characters related to color, such as 黑 (hēi). Focus on the radicals and related terms to build a broader vocabulary around color and descriptions.

Common Mistakes

Learners might confuse 魖 with 黑 (hēi) due to their similar meanings. For example, saying '我喜欢魖' (wǒ xǐhuān xu1) instead of '我喜欢黑' (wǒ xǐhuān hēi) when expressing a preference for the color black is incorrect.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 魖

Premium — Locked

AI tone practice

Pro

Drill the tone of 魖 with AI-powered exercises, get instant feedback, and earn XP toward mastery. Interactive tone practice is part of Pro.

Tone drillsInstant feedback+5 XP
See plans to unlock

Etymology of 魖

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

black

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

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 魖

  1. 1The meaning half鬼 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half虚 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
  3. 3The giveawayblack
  4. 4On the record aspictophonetic.

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

Want the full history of 魖? 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 魖?

Decomposition of 魖

IDS Structure⿺鬼虚
魖Full Character
=
鬼gui3
enclosing
虚xu1
inner
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 魖?

How to say black in Chinese

“black” in Chinese is魖xū

The character 魖 (xū) refers to a specific shade of black, often associated with darkness or shadows. It is less commonly used in everyday language but can appear in literary contexts or discussions about color, especially when describing deep or intense black hues.

When to use 魖

While 魖 is a valid character, it is rare and may not be recognized in casual conversation. Learners should be cautious not to confuse it with more common terms for black, such as 黑 (hēi). It's primarily used in literary or poetic contexts.

What learners get wrong

Learners might confuse 魖 with 黑 (hēi) due to their similar meanings. For example, saying '我喜欢魖' (wǒ xǐhuān xu1) instead of '我喜欢黑' (wǒ xǐhuān hēi) when expressing a preference for the color black is incorrect.

Write 魖

魖

Practice writing 魖 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 魖

Words Containing This Character1
魖xūblack
Exercise 1 of 1

Compound Meaning

What does 魖 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 魖

No, 魖 is quite rare and mostly found in literary or poetic contexts.

Jason Recommends

Not sure what to learn after 魖?

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.