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檎 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
檎qína small red applex, 16 strokes, radical 木
檎qín(fruit)unknown, 16 strokes, radical 木
qín(qin2)qin T2
  1. 1a small red apple
  2. 2(fruit)
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March 24, 2026

檎qín(qin2)

檎 (qín) refers to a small red apple, often associated with its sweet taste and crisp texture. While it may not be as commonly used as the general term for apple (苹果, píngguǒ), it can denote a specific variety or a more poetic context in literature and conversation.

Strokes16Radical木
Cultural note

In Chinese culture, apples symbolize peace and safety, often given as gifts during festivals. The specific term 檎 might appear in poetry or traditional stories where apples are celebrated for their beauty and sweetness.

Memory tip

Think of a 'small red apple' that sounds like 'keen' (qín). Imagine a tiny apple, so perfectly red that it catches your eye, making you feel keen to bite into it. The character 檎 has the radical for tree (木), suggesting it's a fruit that grows on trees.

Meanings of 檎

qín(qin2)
1a small red apple
2(fruit)
Exercise 1 of 2

By ear

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About 檎

檎Simplified
16Strokes
木Radical
非语素字non-morpheme character (n-m.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 檎

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Podcast: 檎

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AI study notes for 檎

Usage Notes

Be aware that 檎 is not commonly used in casual conversation; instead, 苹果 is preferred. It may appear in literary texts or when describing specific varieties of apples. Ensure to pronounce it correctly with the second tone, as mispronouncing it might lead to confusion with other terms.

HSK Study Tips

檎 is not included in the HSK vocabulary lists, but understanding it can enhance your knowledge of fruit-related vocabulary. Focus on recognizing the character components, especially the tree radical, as it connects to many other fruit-related terms.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 檎 with 苹果, mistakenly using it in casual contexts. For example, saying '我想要一个檎' instead of '我想要一个苹果' (I want an apple) would be incorrect in everyday conversation.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 檎

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Etymology of 檎

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

tree

Semantic (meaning)木
+
Phonetic (sound)禽
Learn more about Phono-semantic (形声字) characters
Exercise 1 of 1

Origin

檎 = 木 + 禽. What kind of character does that make it?

Decomposition of 檎

IDS Structure⿰木禽
檎Full character
=
木Mu4
left
禽qin2
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Parts

Which of these is part of 檎?

How to say a small red apple in Chinese

“a small red apple” in Chinese is檎qín

檎 (qín) refers to a small red apple, often associated with its sweet taste and crisp texture. While it may not be as commonly used as the general term for apple (苹果, píngguǒ), it can denote a specific variety or a more poetic context in literature and conversation.

When to use 檎

Be aware that 檎 is not commonly used in casual conversation; instead, 苹果 is preferred. It may appear in literary texts or when describing specific varieties of apples. Ensure to pronounce it correctly with the second tone, as mispronouncing it might lead to confusion with other terms.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 檎 with 苹果, mistakenly using it in casual contexts. For example, saying '我想要一个檎' instead of '我想要一个苹果' (I want an apple) would be incorrect in everyday conversation.

Write 檎

檎

Practice writing 檎 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.

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Word Family of 檎

Words containing this character2
檎qín(fruit)
林檎Chinese pearleaf crabapple (Malus asiatica)
Exercise 1 of 1

Words with 檎

What does 林檎 mean?

Frequently asked questions about 檎

No, 檎 is more literary and less common than 苹果, which is the standard term for apple.

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