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桧 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
桧guìChinese cypress, Chinese juniperg, 10 strokes, radical 木, rank #58439, Very Hard
桧guìChinese Juniper (Juniperus chinensis)unknown, 10 strokes, radical 木, rank #58439, Very Hard
桧guìcoffin lid decoration (old)unknown, 10 strokes, radical 木, rank #58439, Very Hard
guì(gui4) T4
  1. 1Chinese cypress, Chinese juniper
  2. 2Chinese Juniper (Juniperus chinensis)
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

桧(檜)guì(gui4)

The character 桧 (guì) refers to the Chinese cypress or Chinese juniper, which are often used in traditional Chinese architecture and crafts due to their aromatic and durable wood. In historical contexts, this wood was also used for coffin lid decorations, symbolizing respect for the deceased and the importance of the afterlife in Chinese culture.

Strokes10Radical木Frequency#58439DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note

In traditional Chinese culture, the aromatic properties of 桧 wood made it highly valued for creating furniture and household items, reflecting the aesthetic and spiritual importance of nature in daily life.

Memory Tip

Imagine a grand, ancient temple made of fragrant cypress trees (桧). The character has a tree radical (木) on the left, representing wood, which hints at its material nature, and the right side (会) can remind you of gathering around the trees for ceremonies, linking it to its cultural significance.

Meanings of 桧

guì(gui4)
1Chinese cypress, Chinese juniper
2Chinese Juniper (Juniperus chinensis)
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 桧

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

Podcast: 桧

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Podcast: 桧

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AI Study Notes for 桧

Usage Notes

When using 桧, it's essential to remember that it specifically refers to the cypress or juniper trees; using it interchangeably with other types of trees can lead to confusion. It is more common in formal contexts, especially related to architecture and traditional crafts, than in casual conversation.

HSK Study Tips

Although 桧 is not included in the HSK vocabulary lists, it connects with other wood-related terms. For HSK learners, focusing on the tree radical (木) can help recognize other related vocabulary, such as 林 (lín, forest) and 树 (shù, tree).

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 桧 (guì) with other types of wood, such as 木 (mù, wood) or 林 (lín, forest), leading to incorrect usage. For example, saying '我喜欢桧的树' (wǒ xǐhuān guì de shù) is incorrect as it translates to 'I like the cypress tree,' which can be misleading; instead, specify its use or context.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 桧

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Etymology of 桧

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

Phonosemantic compound. 木 represents the meaning and 会 represents the sound. Simplified form of 檜.

Memory Hint

tree

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

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 桧

Phonosemantic compound. 木 represents the meaning and 会 represents the sound. Simplified form of 檜.

  1. 1The meaning half木 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half会 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 桧? 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 桧?

Decomposition of 桧

IDS Structure⿰木会
桧Full Character
=
木Mu4
left
会hui4
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 桧?

How to say Chinese cypress, Chinese juniper in Chinese

“Chinese cypress, Chinese juniper” in Chinese is桧guì

The character 桧 (guì) refers to the Chinese cypress or Chinese juniper, which are often used in traditional Chinese architecture and crafts due to their aromatic and durable wood. In historical contexts, this wood was also used for coffin lid decorations, symbolizing respect for the deceased and the importance of the afterlife in Chinese culture.

When to use 桧

When using 桧, it's essential to remember that it specifically refers to the cypress or juniper trees; using it interchangeably with other types of trees can lead to confusion. It is more common in formal contexts, especially related to architecture and traditional crafts, than in casual conversation.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 桧 (guì) with other types of wood, such as 木 (mù, wood) or 林 (lín, forest), leading to incorrect usage. For example, saying '我喜欢桧的树' (wǒ xǐhuān guì de shù) is incorrect as it translates to 'I like the cypress tree,' which can be misleading; instead, specify its use or context.

Write 桧

桧

Practice writing 桧 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 桧

Words Containing This Character2
桧guìcoffin lid decoration (old)檜
秦桧Qin Hui (1090-1155 AD), Song Dynasty official said to have betrayed General Yue Fei 岳飛|岳飞[Yuè​Fēi]秦檜
Exercise 1 of 2

Compound Meaning

What does 桧 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 桧

桧 wood is commonly used for traditional Chinese furniture, architectural elements, and coffin decorations.

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