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卌 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
卌xìforty, fortiethzg, 5 strokes, radical 十
xì(xi4) T4
  1. 1forty, fortieth
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

卌xì(xi4)

The character 卌 (xì) represents the number 'forty' in Mandarin. It is primarily used in formal contexts, such as documents and traditional texts, rather than in everyday conversation. Its use is less common compared to other numerical characters, making it more relevant for learners interested in classical Chinese or specific numerical expressions.

Strokes5Radical十
Cultural Note

In traditional Chinese culture, numbers hold significant meanings, and the character for forty can appear in historical texts or discussions about age, such as in the context of the 'fortieth year' of someone's life, which may be considered an important milestone.

Memory Tip

Imagine a large 'X' (which looks like the number 40 in Roman numerals) standing on two legs, resembling the character 卌. The 'X' can remind you of 'forty,' while the character's structure with two vertical lines gives a visual cue to its numeric nature.

Meanings of 卌

xì(xi4)
1forty, fortieth
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 卌

卌Simplified
5Strokes
十Radical
状态词stative word (stat.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 卌

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Podcast: 卌

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AI Study Notes for 卌

Usage Notes

Learners often confuse 卌 with the more commonly used characters for numbers, such as 四 (sì) for 'four' or 十 (shí) for 'ten.' It is important to use 卌 in appropriate contexts, primarily in written forms or formal speech. Remember that 卌 is a specific representation of 'forty' and should not be used interchangeably with other numerical expressions.

HSK Study Tips

As 卌 is not included in the HSK vocabulary lists, students should familiarize themselves with basic numbers before tackling less common characters. Focusing on the structure and pronunciation can help learners recognize and remember it as they advance.

Common Mistakes

Learners may mistakenly use 卌 when referring to quantities in casual settings, where more common numbers are expected. For example, saying 卌个 (xì gè) for 'forty items' in everyday conversation is incorrect; instead, use 四十个 (sì shí gè).

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 卌

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Etymology of 卌

Formation TypeIdeographic 指事
六书 ClassificationIdeograph (指事字)~2% of characters
Memory Hint

Four tally marks; compare ten 十, twenty 廿, and thirty 卅

Learn more about Ideograph (指事字) characters

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 卌

  1. 1The giveawayFour tally marks; compare ten 十, twenty 廿, and thirty 卅
  2. 2On the record asideographic — someone drew an idea rather than an object.

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

Want the full history of 卌? 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 卌?

Decomposition of 卌

IDS Structure⿻一?
卌Full Character
=
一yi1
outer
Exercise 1 of 1

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 卌?

How to say forty, fortieth in Chinese

“forty, fortieth” in Chinese is卌xì

The character 卌 (xì) represents the number 'forty' in Mandarin. It is primarily used in formal contexts, such as documents and traditional texts, rather than in everyday conversation. Its use is less common compared to other numerical characters, making it more relevant for learners interested in classical Chinese or specific numerical expressions.

When to use 卌

Learners often confuse 卌 with the more commonly used characters for numbers, such as 四 (sì) for 'four' or 十 (shí) for 'ten.' It is important to use 卌 in appropriate contexts, primarily in written forms or formal speech. Remember that 卌 is a specific representation of 'forty' and should not be used interchangeably with other numerical expressions.

What learners get wrong

Learners may mistakenly use 卌 when referring to quantities in casual settings, where more common numbers are expected. For example, saying 卌个 (xì gè) for 'forty items' in everyday conversation is incorrect; instead, use 四十个 (sì shí gè).

Write 卌

卌

Practice writing 卌 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 卌

Words Containing This Character1
卌xìforty
Exercise 1 of 1

Compound Meaning

What does 卌 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 卌

No, 卌 is mostly seen in formal writings or specific contexts rather than in everyday speech.

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