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March 24, 2026
泳yǒng(yong3)
泳 (yǒng) refers to the act of swimming or the activity of swimming in water. It is commonly used in contexts related to sports, recreation, and exercise, highlighting both the action of swimming and the broader concept of swimming as a leisure activity.
Strokes8Radical氵Frequency#9150DifficultyEasy
Cultural Note
Swimming is a popular activity in China, especially during the hot summer months, with many people visiting public pools or rivers. Furthermore, competitive swimming has a strong presence in Chinese sports culture, with many athletes achieving international success.
Memory Tip
Imagine a swimmer gliding through water, with the water droplets forming the character 泳. The radical 水 (water) at the bottom reminds you that this action takes place in water, and the 'yǒng' sounds like 'yong' in 'young', suggesting a youthful, energetic activity.
Meanings of 泳
yǒng(yong3)
1swimming
2to swim
Exercise 1 of 2
Listen & Choose the Meaning
Choose the correct answer:
About 泳
泳Simplified
8Strokes
氵Radical
动语素dòngcíverb root (v.root)Part of Speech
#9150Frequency Rank
HSK 3.0L2
Podcast: 泳
Podcast: 泳
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AI Study Notes for 泳
Quick Contrast
游 (yóu) - use 泳 specifically for swimming as a sport or activity, while 游 can refer to a more general sense of moving through water or swimming leisurely.
Usage Notes
This character is often used in both formal and informal contexts, such as discussing swimming lessons or competitions. Be careful with the tone; the third tone 'yǒng' should not be confused with the second tone 'yǒng', which has a different meaning. Common collocations include '游泳池' (swimming pool) and '游泳衣' (swimming suit).
HSK Study Tips
While 泳 is not an HSK vocabulary word, it connects to HSK Level 2 vocabulary such as '游' (to swim) and '水' (water). Students should practice its pronunciation and usage in phrases related to water activities to reinforce their understanding.
Common Mistakes
Learners often confuse 泳 with 游 (yóu), which also means 'to swim' but is more general. For example, saying '我喜欢泳' instead of '我喜欢游泳' (I like swimming) is incorrect; use '游泳' for clarity.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 泳
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Phonosemantic compound. 氵 represents the meaning and 永 represents the sound.
1The meaning half氵 carries the sense.
2The sound half永 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
3The giveawaywater
4On the record aspictophonetic.
Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.
Want the full history of 泳? 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 泳?
Decomposition of 泳
IDS Structure⿰氵永
泳Full Character
=
氵shui3
left
永yong3
right
Exercise 1 of 2
Identify the Components
Which of these is a component of 泳?
How to say swimming in Chinese
“swimming” in Chinese is泳yǒng
泳 (yǒng) refers to the act of swimming or the activity of swimming in water. It is commonly used in contexts related to sports, recreation, and exercise, highlighting both the action of swimming and the broader concept of swimming as a leisure activity.
When to use 泳
This character is often used in both formal and informal contexts, such as discussing swimming lessons or competitions. Be careful with the tone; the third tone 'yǒng' should not be confused with the second tone 'yǒng', which has a different meaning. Common collocations include '游泳池' (swimming pool) and '游泳衣' (swimming suit).
泳 or something close to it
游 (yóu) - use 泳 specifically for swimming as a sport or activity, while 游 can refer to a more general sense of moving through water or swimming leisurely.
What learners get wrong
Learners often confuse 泳 with 游 (yóu), which also means 'to swim' but is more general. For example, saying '我喜欢泳' instead of '我喜欢游泳' (I like swimming) is incorrect; use '游泳' for clarity.
Write 泳
泳
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Practice writing 泳 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
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Grammar Patterns of 泳
泳 functions as a verb — the action or state of the sentence. The Chinese order is Subject + Verb + Object (我吃饭). Negate it with 不 (habitual / future) or 没(有) (completed action). Add aspect markers like 了, 过, 着 directly after the verb. It carries 3 related meanings, each with its own usage notes below. The example sentences below show it in action, with practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) on every line.
