HSK 7, zg, 8 strokes, radical 氵, rank #15776, Very Hard
泄
xiè
to drip
HSK 7, zg, 8 strokes, radical 氵, rank #15776, Very Hard
泄
xiè
to drain
HSK 7, zg, 8 strokes, radical 氵, rank #15776, Very Hard
泄
xiè
to discharge
HSK 7, zg, 8 strokes, radical 氵, rank #15776, Very Hard
泄
xiè
to leak out
HSK 7, zg, 8 strokes, radical 氵, rank #15776, Very Hard
泄
xiè
to divulge (secrets)
HSK 7, zg, 8 strokes, radical 氵, rank #15776, Very Hard
泄
xiè
to give vent (to anger, spite etc)
HSK 7, zg, 8 strokes, radical 氵, rank #15776, Very Hard
泄
xiè
to disperse
HSK 7, zg, 8 strokes, radical 氵, rank #15776, Very Hard
泄
xiè
to reduce
HSK 7, zg, 8 strokes, radical 氵, rank #15776, Very Hard
泄
xiè
drip, leak, vent; to disperse; to reduce
HSK 7, zg, 8 strokes, radical 氵, rank #15776, Very Hard
xiè(xie4)xie T4
1to leak (of water or gas)
2to drip
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March 24, 2026
泄xiè(xie4)
The character 泄 (xiè) primarily means to leak or drip, commonly used in contexts involving liquids or gases escaping from a container. It can also refer to the act of divulging secrets or emotions, such as venting anger. This duality highlights both physical and emotional expressions of release.
Strokes8Radical氵Frequency#15776DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, the act of venting one's emotions is often seen as a necessary release to maintain mental health. The character 泄 is used in idioms that emphasize the importance of expressing feelings rather than bottling them up.
Memory Tip
Imagine a leaky water pipe, where water (represented by the radical 水) is dripping out. You can think of 'xiè' as the sound of water leaking, and picture the frustration of someone trying to fix the leak while simultaneously feeling overwhelmed by emotions they wish to express, mirroring the idea of venting.
Meanings of 泄
xiè(xie4)
1to leak (of water or gas)
2to drip
Exercise 1 of 2
By ear
Play it, then pick what 泄 means.
About 泄
泄Simplified
8Strokes
氵Radical
状态词stative word (stat.)Part of Speech
#15776Frequency Rank
HSK 3.0L7AdvancedCEFRC2
Podcast: 泄
Podcast: 泄
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AI Study Notes for 泄
Quick Contrast
泄 (xiè) vs 漏 (lòu) — use 泄 for emotional release or secrets, 漏 for physical leakage of liquids.
Usage Notes
Be careful not to confuse 泄 with other similar-sounding characters, like 謝 (xiè), which means to thank. 泄 is more commonly used in both informal and formal settings when discussing leaks, while venting emotional content may be used more casually. Common collocations include 泄漏 (liquid/gas leak) and 情绪泄露 (emotional venting).
HSK Study Tips
Though 泄 is not included in the official HSK lists, it connects well with HSK Level 3 vocabulary related to feelings and physical actions, such as 漏 (lòu, to leak) and 发 (fā, to send or release). Students should focus on recognizing the context in which 泄 is used, especially regarding emotions.
Common Mistakes
Learners often confuse 泄 (xiè) with 谢 (xiè), leading to incorrect meanings like 'thank' instead of 'leak'. Remember that 泄 pertains to release, while 谢 involves gratitude.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 泄
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How Well Do You Know 泄?
Example
Learning Lab
Knowing 泄 is seven skills, not one.
Its meaning, its character, its pinyin, its tone — hearing it, saying it, writing it. The Learning Lab measures each one from your own practice, on every word you study, so you see what you actually know rather than how much you have done.
泄 = 氵 + 世. What kind of character does that make it?
Decomposition of 泄
IDS Structure⿰氵世
泄Full Character
=
氵shui3
left
世Shi4
right
Exercise 1 of 2
Parts
Which of these is part of 泄?
How to say to leak (of water or gas) in Chinese
“to leak (of water or gas)” in Chinese is泄xiè
The character 泄 (xiè) primarily means to leak or drip, commonly used in contexts involving liquids or gases escaping from a container. It can also refer to the act of divulging secrets or emotions, such as venting anger. This duality highlights both physical and emotional expressions of release.
When to use 泄
Be careful not to confuse 泄 with other similar-sounding characters, like 謝 (xiè), which means to thank. 泄 is more commonly used in both informal and formal settings when discussing leaks, while venting emotional content may be used more casually. Common collocations include 泄漏 (liquid/gas leak) and 情绪泄露 (emotional venting).
泄 or something close to it
泄 (xiè) vs 漏 (lòu) — use 泄 for emotional release or secrets, 漏 for physical leakage of liquids.
What learners get wrong
Learners often confuse 泄 (xiè) with 谢 (xiè), leading to incorrect meanings like 'thank' instead of 'leak'. Remember that 泄 pertains to release, while 谢 involves gratitude.
Write 泄
泄
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Practice writing 泄 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
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Grammar Patterns of 泄
泄 carries 10 distinct meanings. Below you'll find the patterns that show how it combines with other words, plus example sentences pulled directly from native usage.
Exercise 1 of 4
Fill the gap
Type the missing word. Pinyin works; then pick the character.
我深感____气地回去把这消息告诉了比尔。
Despondently, I went back and told Bill the news.
Common Confusions with 泄
泄vs解
jiě
Similar shape and sound; both can refer to 'release' in different contexts.
Exercise 1 of 1
Which one
Which one means “to leak (of water or gas)”?
or
Usage Notes for 泄
Misuse in ContextCommon Error
Learners often confuse 泄 with other verbs that indicate release or flow, such as 排 (pái) or 释放 (shìfàng).
1
水管泄漏
The water pipe is leaking.
2
他释放了他的情绪。
He released his emotions.
Exercise 1 of 1
Get it right
Type the missing word. Pinyin works; then pick the character.
水管____漏
The water pipe is leaking.
Example Sentences for 泄 (10)
Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
我深感泄气地回去把这消息告诉了比尔。
wǒ shēn gǎn xiè qì dì huí qù bǎ zhè xiāo xī gào sù le bǐ ěr。
Despondently, I went back and told Bill the news.
2
他还有很多强压的愤怒要发泄。
tā huán yǒu hěn duō qiáng yā de fèn nù yào fā xiè。
He still had a lot of pent-up anger to release.
3
在交通的晚高峰时段，这里通常被车辆堵得水泄不通。
zài jiāo tōng de wǎn gāo fēng shí duàn， ， zhè lǐ tōng cháng bèi chē liàng dǔ dé shuǐ xiè bù。
During the evening rush hour it was often solid with vehicles.
4
这两个共谋者的表情泄漏了秘密。
zhè liǎng gè gòng móu zhě de biǎo qíng xiè lòu le mì mì。
The faces of the two conspirators gave the game away.
