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氿 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
氿guǐspringzg, 5 strokes, radical 氵
氿guǐmountain springunknown, 5 strokes, radical 氵
guǐ(gui3) T3
  1. 1spring
  2. 2mountain spring
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

氿guǐ(gui3)

The character 氿 (guǐ) refers to a natural spring or a mountain spring, often associated with fresh, flowing water. It is used in contexts related to water sources in nature and may also symbolize purity and vitality. This character is less commonly used in everyday conversation but appears in literary and poetic contexts.

Strokes5Radical氵
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, natural springs are often seen as places of tranquility and purity, revered in poetry and philosophy. The concept of seeking solace by a mountain spring reflects traditional values of harmony with nature.

Memory Tip

Imagine a 'spring' (like a fountain) bubbling up from a 'mountain' (the radical 山). The character 氿 resembles a water source (氵) combined with the idea of flowing from a mountain, helping you remember it represents fresh water.

Meanings of 氿

guǐ(gui3)
1spring
2mountain spring
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 氿

氿Simplified
5Strokes
氵Radical
状态词stative word (stat.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 氿

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Podcast: 氿

Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you

AI Study Notes for 氿

Usage Notes

气 (qì) is often confused with 氿 (guǐ); pay attention to the context to avoid mix-ups. This character is more formal and is typically used in literary or academic discussions rather than casual conversation. Common collocations include phrases related to nature or geography.

HSK Study Tips

Although 氿 is not included in the HSK vocabulary, it relates to level-appropriate words about nature and water, such as 水 (water) and 源 (source). Focus on recognizing it in written texts, especially in poetry or literature.

Common Mistakes

Learners might confuse 氿 with similar characters like 气 (qì), which means 'air' or 'gas.' To avoid this, remember that 氿 specifically relates to springs and water sources, while 气 does not.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 氿

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Etymology of 氿

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

water

Semantic (meaning)氵
+
Phonetic (sound)九
Learn more about Phono-semantic (形声字) characters

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 氿

  1. 1The meaning half氵 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half九 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
  3. 3The giveawaywater
  4. 4On the record aspictophonetic.

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

Want the full history of 氿? 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 氿?

Decomposition of 氿

IDS Structure⿰氵九
氿Full Character
=
氵shui3
left
九jiu3
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 氿?

How to say spring in Chinese

“spring” in Chinese is氿guǐ

The character 氿 (guǐ) refers to a natural spring or a mountain spring, often associated with fresh, flowing water. It is used in contexts related to water sources in nature and may also symbolize purity and vitality. This character is less commonly used in everyday conversation but appears in literary and poetic contexts.

When to use 氿

气 (qì) is often confused with 氿 (guǐ); pay attention to the context to avoid mix-ups. This character is more formal and is typically used in literary or academic discussions rather than casual conversation. Common collocations include phrases related to nature or geography.

What learners get wrong

Learners might confuse 氿 with similar characters like 气 (qì), which means 'air' or 'gas.' To avoid this, remember that 氿 specifically relates to springs and water sources, while 气 does not.

Write 氿

氿

Practice writing 氿 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 氿

Words Containing This Character1
氿guǐmountain spring
Exercise 1 of 1

Compound Meaning

What does 氿 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 氿

It is pronounced 'guǐ' with a falling-rising tone.

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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.