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墒 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
墒shāngsilt; moist soilzg, 14 strokes, radical 土
墒shāngplowed earthunknown, 14 strokes, radical 土
墒shāngsoil moistureunknown, 14 strokes, radical 土
墒shāngfurrowunknown, 14 strokes, radical 土
shāng(shang1) T1
  1. 1silt; moist soil
  2. 2plowed earth
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

墒shāng(shang1)

The character 墒 (shāng) refers to moist soil or silt, particularly in the context of agriculture. It describes soil that is rich in moisture, which is essential for growing crops and maintaining healthy plants. This term is often used in discussions related to farming and land cultivation.

Strokes14Radical土
Cultural Note

In traditional Chinese agriculture, understanding soil moisture was crucial for successful crop yields. The character 墒 reflects the importance of soil quality in Chinese farming practices, particularly in regions that rely on rice cultivation.

Memory Tip

Imagine a farmer named Shang who is always checking the moisture levels of his silt-rich soil. The character 墒 has a roof (土) over the earth (土), symbolizing the importance of water and shelter for crops, and the pronunciation 'shāng' can remind you of 'shangri-la', a paradise with fertile land.

Meanings of 墒

shāng(shang1)
1silt; moist soil
2plowed earth
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 墒

墒Simplified
14Strokes
土Radical
状态词stative word (stat.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 墒

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Podcast: 墒

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AI Study Notes for 墒

Usage Notes

Avoid confusing 墒 (shāng) with similar-sounding characters. This term is primarily used in agricultural contexts, so it is more formal and specific than casual terms for 'soil' (土, tǔ). It often collocates with words related to farming, such as 'irrigation' (灌溉, guàn gài).

HSK Study Tips

Although not included in the HSK levels, understanding 墒 (shāng) can enhance your vocabulary related to agriculture, which is relevant for HSK Level 4 and above. Focus on its usage in agricultural texts and practice with related terms like 土壤 (tǔrǎng, soil) and 湿润 (shīrùn, moist).

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 墒 (shāng) with 土 (tǔ), which means 'earth' or 'soil' in general. For example, using 墒 to describe any soil type can be incorrect; it specifically refers to moist soil. Use 墒 when discussing specific agricultural moisture contexts.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 墒

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Etymology of 墒

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

earth

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

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 墒

  1. 1The meaning half土 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half商 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
  3. 3The giveawayearth
  4. 4On the record aspictophonetic.

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

Want the full history of 墒? 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 墒?

Decomposition of 墒

IDS Structure⿰土商
墒Full Character
=
土Tu3
left
商Shang1
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 墒?

How to say silt; moist soil in Chinese

“silt; moist soil” in Chinese is墒shāng

The character 墒 (shāng) refers to moist soil or silt, particularly in the context of agriculture. It describes soil that is rich in moisture, which is essential for growing crops and maintaining healthy plants. This term is often used in discussions related to farming and land cultivation.

When to use 墒

Avoid confusing 墒 (shāng) with similar-sounding characters. This term is primarily used in agricultural contexts, so it is more formal and specific than casual terms for 'soil' (土, tǔ). It often collocates with words related to farming, such as 'irrigation' (灌溉, guàn gài).

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 墒 (shāng) with 土 (tǔ), which means 'earth' or 'soil' in general. For example, using 墒 to describe any soil type can be incorrect; it specifically refers to moist soil. Use 墒 when discussing specific agricultural moisture contexts.

Write 墒

墒

Practice writing 墒 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 墒

Words Containing This Character3
墒shāngfurrow
墒情the state of moisture in the soil (and whether it can support a crop)
保墒preservation of soil moisture
Exercise 1 of 3

Compound Meaning

What does 墒 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 墒

Synonyms include 土壤 (tǔrǎng, soil) and 湿土 (shī tǔ, wet soil).

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