Skip to content
Start your Chinese Learning JourneyStart Now
渫 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
渫xièto scatter, to disperse; high tideg, 12 strokes, radical 氵
渫xièto dischargeunknown, 12 strokes, radical 氵
渫xièto dredgeunknown, 12 strokes, radical 氵
渫xièsurname Xieunknown, 12 strokes, radical 氵
xiè(Xie4) T4
  1. 1to scatter, to disperse; high tide
  2. 2to discharge
Also a Chinese surname, Xie — see the Surname Dictionary
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

渫xiè(Xie4)

The character 渫 (xiè) primarily means 'to scatter' or 'to disperse.' It can also refer to the action of discharging or dredging, particularly in contexts related to water. Additionally, it serves as a surname, Xie, which is common in China.

Strokes12Radical氵
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, water management is vital, especially in regions prone to flooding. The concept of scattering water can be tied to agricultural practices and the importance of irrigation in farming communities.

Memory Tip

Visualize a river (the radical 水) scattering its contents widely across a landscape when it floods. The 'xiè' sound can remind you of 'shed,' as in shedding water everywhere during a high tide.

Meanings of 渫

xiè(Xie4)
1to scatter, to disperse; high tide
2to discharge
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 渫

渫Simplified
12Strokes
氵Radical
语素morpheme (morph.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 渫

JasonAmy

Podcast: 渫

Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you

AI Study Notes for 渫

Usage Notes

Be cautious about using 渫 in formal writing, as it may be less common compared to its synonyms like 散 (sàn). Common collocations include 渫水 (scatter water) and 渫涌 (discharge flow). Pay attention to the correct tone; mispronouncing it can lead to confusion with other similar-sounding words.

HSK Study Tips

While 渫 is not included in the HSK vocabulary, it connects to HSK Level 3 vocabulary related to water and movement. Focus on its usage in context with words like 水 (water) and 散 (scatter) for better understanding.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 渫 with similar-sounding characters like 泄 (xiè), which means 'to leak.' For example, saying '我渫水' (wǒ xiè shuǐ) instead of '我泄水' (wǒ xiè shuǐ) can alter the intended meaning.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 渫

Premium — Locked

AI tone practice

Pro

Drill the tone of 渫 with AI-powered exercises, get instant feedback, and earn XP toward mastery. Interactive tone practice is part of Pro.

Tone drillsInstant feedback+5 XP
See plans to unlock

Etymology of 渫

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

water

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

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 渫

  1. 1The meaning half氵 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half枼 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 渫? 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 渫?

Decomposition of 渫

IDS Structure⿰氵枼
渫Full Character
=
氵shui3
left
枼ye4
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 渫?

How to say to scatter, to disperse; high tide in Chinese

“to scatter, to disperse; high tide” in Chinese is渫xiè

The character 渫 (xiè) primarily means 'to scatter' or 'to disperse.' It can also refer to the action of discharging or dredging, particularly in contexts related to water. Additionally, it serves as a surname, Xie, which is common in China.

When to use 渫

Be cautious about using 渫 in formal writing, as it may be less common compared to its synonyms like 散 (sàn). Common collocations include 渫水 (scatter water) and 渫涌 (discharge flow). Pay attention to the correct tone; mispronouncing it can lead to confusion with other similar-sounding words.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 渫 with similar-sounding characters like 泄 (xiè), which means 'to leak.' For example, saying '我渫水' (wǒ xiè shuǐ) instead of '我泄水' (wǒ xiè shuǐ) can alter the intended meaning.

Write 渫

渫

Practice writing 渫 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 渫

Words Containing This Character1
渫xièto get rid of
Exercise 1 of 1

Compound Meaning

What does 渫 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 渫

It is pronounced as 'xiè,' with a falling tone.

Jason Recommends

Not sure what to learn after 渫?

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.