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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) T2
  1. 1a small red apple
  2. 2(fruit)
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
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

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

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

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 檎

  1. 1The meaning half木 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half禽 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 檎? 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 檎?

Decomposition of 檎

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

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component 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.

Write correctly 3 times to earn XP

Word Family of 檎

Words Containing This Character2
檎qín(fruit)
林檎Chinese pearleaf crabapple (Malus asiatica)
Exercise 1 of 2

Compound Meaning

What does 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.

Jason Recommends

Not sure what to learn after 檎?

Jason picks three words from your level and explains why each one is worth your time next. It takes a free account so he knows what you already know.