Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026
希xī(xi1)
The character 希 (xī) primarily means 'to hope' or 'to expect.' It is commonly used in contexts where one expresses desire or aspiration for a future outcome, such as hoping for success or good fortune. Additionally, it can denote rarity or something that is scarce, often used in phrases to imply something precious or valued.
Strokes7Radical巾Frequency#4623DifficultyHard
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, the concept of hope is often linked to traditional beliefs and the importance of aspirations in achieving personal and communal goals. Festivals and customs frequently celebrate hopeful beginnings, such as the Lunar New Year, where people express their hopes for the coming year.
Memory Tip
Imagine a person with a hopeful gaze (希) looking up at the stars, wishing for a rare event to happen. The radical '心' (heart) is present, reminding you that hope comes from within. The sound 'xī' can be associated with 'see,' as in seeing your hopes come to fruition.
Meanings of 希
xī(xi1)
1to hope
2to admire
Exercise 1 of 2
Listen & Choose the Meaning
Choose the correct answer:
About 希
希Simplified
7Strokes
巾Radical
动词dòngcíverb (v.)Part of Speech
#4623Frequency Rank
Podcast: 希
Podcast: 希
Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you
New here?
AI Study Notes for 希
Quick Contrast
希 (xī) vs 盼 (pàn) — use 希 for general hope or expectation, while 盼 emphasizes longing or anticipation.
Memory Mnemonic
Imagine a person with a hopeful gaze (希) looking up at the stars, wishing for a rare event to happen. The radical '心' (heart) is present, reminding you that hope comes from within. The sound 'xī' can be associated with 'see,' as in seeing your hopes come to fruition.
Usage Notes
希 is often used in both formal and informal contexts, but be cautious about its collocations, such as 希望 (xīwàng - to hope) and 希冀 (xījì - to aspire). Avoid confusing it with the character 稀 (xī), which means 'rare' in a different context. Pay attention to the tone, as mispronouncing it can change the meaning significantly.
HSK Study Tips
Although not explicitly listed in the HSK levels, 希 is a useful character for learners at HSK 3 and above. It connects with related words such as 希望 (hope) and 希冀 (aspiration). Focus on using it in sentences that express wishes or hopes to reinforce its meaning.
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, the concept of hope is often linked to traditional beliefs and the importance of aspirations in achieving personal and communal goals. Festivals and customs frequently celebrate hopeful beginnings, such as the Lunar New Year, where people express their hopes for the coming year.
Common Mistakes
Learners often confuse 希 with similar-sounding characters like 稀. For example, saying 希的 (xī de) when they mean 希望的 (xīwàng de) can lead to confusion. Always use 希 when expressing hope, and reserve 稀 for referring to rarity.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 希
Premium — Locked
AI tone practice
Pro
Drill the tone of 希 with AI-powered exercises, get instant feedback, and earn XP toward mastery. Interactive tone practice is part of Pro.
Composed of 爻 (intertwined cross shape) and 巾 (cloth). Conveys a rare type of stitched cloth, corresponding to the original meaning "sparse; rare". The meaning later shifted to "hope".
New here? to save your writing progress and earn XP.
Practice writing 希 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
Write correctly 3 times to earn XP
Grammar Patterns of 希
希 functions as a verb — the action or state of the sentence. The Chinese order is Subject + Verb + Object (我吃饭). Negate it with 不 (habitual / future) or 没(有) (completed action). Add aspect markers like 了, 过, 着 directly after the verb. It carries 3 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.
The Greeks accepted belief in the immortality of the soul.
10
希腊人认为紫水晶可以防止人喝醉。
xī là rén rèn wéi zǐ shuǐ jīng kě yǐ fáng zhǐ rén hē zuì。
Amethyst was believed by the Greeks to protect a person from drunkenness.
Cultural Notes for 希
🏮Cultural insight
In Chinese culture, the concept of hope is often linked to traditional beliefs and the importance of aspirations in achieving personal and communal goals. Festivals and customs frequently celebrate hopeful beginnings, such as the Lunar New Year, where people express their hopes for the coming year.
Word Family of 希
Compounds21
稀xi1rare
烯xi1alkene
唏xi1to weep, to sob; to grieve
晞
欷xi1to sigh; to sob
浠xi1a river in Hubei province
瓻
睎
絺
豨
郗xi1an ancient city; surname
鵗
俙
悕
桸
狶
琋
脪
莃
餙
鯑
Words Containing This Character17
希望xīwàngto wish for
希xīto hope
希腊Greece希臘
希特勒Adolf Hitler (1889-1945)
有希望hopeful
希尔Hill (name)希爾
希拉里Hillary (name)
希拉克Jacques René Chirac (1932-), president of France 1995-2007希拉剋
陈冠希Edison Chen (1980-), Hong Kong singer and actor陳冠希
希伯来Hebrew希伯來
古希腊ancient Greece古希臘
希尔顿Hilton (hotel chain)希爾頓
南希Nancy
乔希Josh or Joshi (name)喬希
波希米亚Bohemia, historical country of central Europe波希米亞
一线希望a gleam of hope一線希望
希奇rare
Exercise 1 of 4
Compound Meaning
What does 稀 mean?
Frequently Asked Questions about 希
You can use 希 in phrases like 我希望明天会晴天 (Wǒ xīwàng míngtiān huì qíngtiān), which means 'I hope tomorrow will be sunny.'
Yes, 希 can be used in both contexts, but is more common in expressions of hope and aspiration.
希望 (xīwàng) is the noun form meaning 'hope,' while 希 (xī) is a verb that means 'to hope' or 'to expect.'
