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櫻 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
櫻yīngcherry, cherry blossomx, 21 strokes, radical 木
yīng(ying1) T1
  1. 1cherry, cherry blossom
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

櫻yīng(ying1)

The character 櫻 (yīng) refers to the cherry tree, specifically known for its beautiful blossoms. It is commonly used in contexts related to nature, springtime, and festivals, particularly in reference to cherry blossom viewing, a cultural activity in China and Japan.

Strokes21Radical木
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, cherry blossoms symbolize beauty and the fleeting nature of life, often celebrated during the Qingming Festival. Viewing cherry blossoms, or 'hanami', is a cherished tradition that signifies the arrival of spring.

Memory Tip

Imagine a 'young' girl (sounds like yīng) standing under a cherry tree, mesmerized by the pink blossoms falling like snow. The radical 木 (tree) is part of the character, reminding you that this word is all about trees and their stunning flowers.

Meanings of 櫻

yīng(ying1)
1cherry, cherry blossom
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 櫻

櫻Simplified
21Strokes
木Radical
非语素字non-morpheme character (n-m.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 櫻

JasonAmy

Podcast: 櫻

Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you

AI Study Notes for 櫻

Quick Contrast

樱 (yīng) refers specifically to the cherry tree, while 桃 (táo) refers to the peach tree; use 櫻 when discussing cherry blossoms.

Usage Notes

Be mindful of the tone when pronouncing 'yīng'; using a different tone can lead to confusion with other words. This character is more formal and is typically found in literary or poetic contexts. Common collocations include 櫻花 (cherry blossom) and 櫻樹 (cherry tree).

HSK Study Tips

Although 櫻 is not specifically part of the HSK vocabulary list, it connects with other nature-related words at the same level, such as 花 (flower) and 樹 (tree). Focus on recognizing its radicals and practicing its pronunciation.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 櫻 with 樱, the simplified version. Remember to use 櫻 when writing in traditional Chinese. Additionally, some might mispronounce 'yīng' as 'yǐng', which changes the meaning entirely.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 櫻

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Etymology of 櫻

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

tree

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

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 櫻

  1. 1The meaning half木 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half嬰 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 櫻? 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 櫻?

Decomposition of 櫻

IDS Structure⿰木嬰
櫻Full Character
=
木Mu4
left
嬰ying1
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 櫻?

How to say cherry, cherry blossom in Chinese

“cherry, cherry blossom” in Chinese is櫻yīng

The character 櫻 (yīng) refers to the cherry tree, specifically known for its beautiful blossoms. It is commonly used in contexts related to nature, springtime, and festivals, particularly in reference to cherry blossom viewing, a cultural activity in China and Japan.

When to use 櫻

Be mindful of the tone when pronouncing 'yīng'; using a different tone can lead to confusion with other words. This character is more formal and is typically found in literary or poetic contexts. Common collocations include 櫻花 (cherry blossom) and 櫻樹 (cherry tree).

櫻 or something close to it

樱 (yīng) refers specifically to the cherry tree, while 桃 (táo) refers to the peach tree; use 櫻 when discussing cherry blossoms.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 櫻 with 樱, the simplified version. Remember to use 櫻 when writing in traditional Chinese. Additionally, some might mispronounce 'yīng' as 'yǐng', which changes the meaning entirely.

Write 櫻

櫻

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

Write correctly 3 times to earn XP

Cultural Notes for 櫻

🌏Cross-cultural Insight

The celebration of cherry blossoms is more prominent in Japan, where entire festivals are dedicated to it, while in China, it is appreciated but less commercially emphasized.

Word Family of 櫻

Words Containing This Character4
樱桃cherry櫻桃
樱yīngcherry櫻
樱花also known as sakura (Japanese) or Yoshino cherry櫻花
樱井Sakurai (Japanese surname and place name)櫻井
Exercise 1 of 4

Compound Meaning

What does 樱桃 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 櫻

You pronounce it as 'yīng', with a high-level tone.

Jason Recommends

Not sure what to learn after 櫻?

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