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水晶 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
水晶shuǐjīngcrystalHSK 7, unknown, 16 strokes, rank #5672, Very Hard
shuǐjīng(shui3jing1)shui jing T3
  1. 1crystal
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March 24, 2026

水晶shuǐjīng(shui3jing1)

水晶 (shuǐ jīng) refers to 'crystal' in Mandarin, often used to describe clear, transparent minerals like quartz. It can also denote decorative items made from crystal, commonly found in jewelry or home decor. The term conveys both the physical properties of clarity and beauty associated with crystals.

Strokes16Frequency#5672DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural note

In Chinese culture, crystals are often associated with health and feng shui, believed to carry positive energy and promote balance in living spaces. Water crystal representations are sometimes used in traditional Chinese medicine.

Memory tip

Imagine a clear, sparkling stream (水) flowing through a beautiful crystal (晶) cave, reflecting light in all directions. The stream represents the water radical (水) in 水晶, while the sparkling nature of crystals captures the essence of 'jing' (晶) which means 'sparkling' or 'bright'.

Meanings of 水晶

shuǐjīng(shui3jing1)
1crystal
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About 水晶

水晶Simplified
16Strokes
—Radical
名词míngcínoun (n.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank
HSK 3.0L7AdvancedCEFRC2

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Podcast: 水晶

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AI study notes for 水晶

Quick Contrast

水晶 (crystal) vs 玻璃 (glass) — choose 水晶 when referring to the natural mineral with clarity and beauty, while 玻璃 is used for synthetic or processed materials.

Usage Notes

水晶 is typically used in both formal and informal contexts, particularly in discussions about jewelry, decor, or geology. Common collocations include 水晶饰品 (shuǐ jīng shì pǐn - crystal ornament) or 水晶球 (shuǐ jīng qiú - crystal ball). Be cautious with the tones; confusing '晶' (jīng - crystal) with similar-sounding words can lead to misunderstandings.

HSK Study Tips

While 水晶 is not specifically listed in HSK vocabulary, it can be useful for learners at HSK 3-4 who are expanding their vocabulary related to materials and objects. Focus on recognizing the radicals and their meanings, as well as practicing the tones for both characters.

Common Mistakes

A common mistake is mispronouncing the tones, such as saying 'shui1 jing1' instead of 'shui3 jing1'. Another error is using it inappropriately in casual contexts when discussing scientific aspects, where a more formal term might be expected.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 水晶

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Component characters

水shuǐwater
HSK 14 strokes水
View full entry
晶jīngcrystal
12 strokes日
View full entry

How to say crystal in Chinese

“crystal” in Chinese is水晶shuǐjīng

水晶 (shuǐ jīng) refers to 'crystal' in Mandarin, often used to describe clear, transparent minerals like quartz. It can also denote decorative items made from crystal, commonly found in jewelry or home decor. The term conveys both the physical properties of clarity and beauty associated with crystals.

When to use 水晶

水晶 is typically used in both formal and informal contexts, particularly in discussions about jewelry, decor, or geology. Common collocations include 水晶饰品 (shuǐ jīng shì pǐn - crystal ornament) or 水晶球 (shuǐ jīng qiú - crystal ball). Be cautious with the tones; confusing '晶' (jīng - crystal) with similar-sounding words can lead to misunderstandings.

水晶 or something close to it

水晶 (crystal) vs 玻璃 (glass) — choose 水晶 when referring to the natural mineral with clarity and beauty, while 玻璃 is used for synthetic or processed materials.

What learners get wrong

A common mistake is mispronouncing the tones, such as saying 'shui1 jing1' instead of 'shui3 jing1'. Another error is using it inappropriately in casual contexts when discussing scientific aspects, where a more formal term might be expected.

Write 水晶

水
晶

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Frequently asked questions about 水晶

水晶 is commonly used in jewelry, art, and home decorations, symbolizing clarity and purity.

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