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桤 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
桤qīalderg, 10 strokes, radical 木
qī(qi1) T1
  1. 1alder
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

桤(榿)qī(qi1)

The character 桤 (qī) refers to the alder tree, which is commonly found in wetland areas. It is known for its ability to improve soil quality and is often associated with ecological restoration. In Chinese culture, the alder is sometimes seen as a symbol of resilience due to its hardy nature.

Strokes10Radical木
Cultural Note

In traditional Chinese medicine, various trees, including the alder, are sometimes referenced for their properties related to herbal remedies. The alder's role in improving soil quality is also significant in agricultural practices.

Memory Tip

Imagine a 'Q' (qī) growing into a tall tree with branches resembling the shape of an 'A' for alder. Visualize an alder tree standing strong in a wet area, thriving among other plants, to remember its meaning and pronunciation.

Meanings of 桤

qī(qi1)
1alder
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 桤

桤Simplified
榿Traditional
10Strokes
木Radical
语素morpheme (morph.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 桤

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Podcast: 桤

Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you

AI Study Notes for 桤

Usage Notes

桤 is not commonly used in everyday conversation, making it more likely to appear in literary or botanical contexts. Be cautious with the tone; the first tone (qī) is high and level, which can be confused with other similar-sounding words. It is often used in scientific or environmental discussions.

HSK Study Tips

While 桤 is not an HSK vocabulary word, understanding plant-related terms can be useful for students interested in environmental science. Focus on recognizing characters related to nature at HSK Level 3 and above, as they often appear in texts discussing ecology.

Common Mistakes

Learners may confuse 桤 with similar-sounding characters like 齐 (qí) meaning 'together'. Additionally, some may incorrectly pronounce it with a different tone, such as qí instead of qī.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 桤

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Etymology of 桤

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

tree

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

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 桤

  1. 1The meaning half木 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half岂 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
  3. 3The giveawaytree
  4. 4On the record aspictophonetic.

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

Want the full history of 桤? 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 桤?

Decomposition of 桤

IDS Structure⿰木岂
桤Full Character
=
木Mu4
left
岂kai3
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 桤?

How to say alder in Chinese

“alder” in Chinese is桤qī

The character 桤 (qī) refers to the alder tree, which is commonly found in wetland areas. It is known for its ability to improve soil quality and is often associated with ecological restoration. In Chinese culture, the alder is sometimes seen as a symbol of resilience due to its hardy nature.

When to use 桤

桤 is not commonly used in everyday conversation, making it more likely to appear in literary or botanical contexts. Be cautious with the tone; the first tone (qī) is high and level, which can be confused with other similar-sounding words. It is often used in scientific or environmental discussions.

What learners get wrong

Learners may confuse 桤 with similar-sounding characters like 齐 (qí) meaning 'together'. Additionally, some may incorrectly pronounce it with a different tone, such as qí instead of qī.

Write 桤

桤

Practice writing 桤 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 桤

Words Containing This Character2
桤木alder榿木
桤qīalder榿
Exercise 1 of 2

Compound Meaning

What does 桤木 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 桤

桤 means 'alder', referring to a type of tree.

Jason Recommends

Not sure what to learn after 桤?

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