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炱 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
炱táisootg, 9 strokes, radical 火
tái(tai2) T2
  1. 1soot
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

炱tái(tai2)

The character 炱 (tái) refers to soot, which is the black powdery substance produced by incomplete combustion of organic matter. It is commonly found in contexts related to pollution, cooking, and the use of traditional heating methods. Understanding this term can be helpful when discussing environmental issues and traditional Chinese practices involving fire.

Strokes9Radical火
Cultural Note

Soot has a historical significance in Chinese culture, particularly in traditional cooking methods such as using clay stoves. The presence of soot in homes was often an indicator of cooking practices and living conditions.

Memory Tip

Imagine a 'tall' chimney that produces 'soot' rising into the sky. The character 炱 resembles a chimney on fire, with the top part representing flames (火) and the bottom part suggesting a shadowy residue (black color). Visualizing a tall chimney will help you remember the pronunciation 'tái' and its meaning.

Meanings of 炱

tái(tai2)
1soot
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 炱

炱Simplified
9Strokes
火Radical
语素morpheme (morph.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 炱

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Podcast: 炱

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AI Study Notes for 炱

Usage Notes

This character is quite specific to pollution contexts and may not be used in everyday conversation. Be mindful of using 炱 in more formal discussions about environmental concerns rather than casual chats. Avoid mispronouncing it as 'tāi,' which changes the meaning entirely.

HSK Study Tips

Since 炱 is not found in the HSK vocabulary lists, learners should focus on related terms such as 煤 (méi, coal) and 烟 (yān, smoke) to build a broader understanding of pollution-related vocabulary. Recognizing the radicals can also aid in understanding similar characters.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 炱 with similar-sounding characters like 胎 (tāi, fetus) or 泰 (tài, peace), leading to misunderstandings. Always remember that 炱 specifically refers to soot and should be used in contexts related to burning or pollution.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 炱

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Etymology of 炱

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

fire

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

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 炱

  1. 1The meaning half火 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half台 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
  3. 3The giveawayfire
  4. 4On the record aspictophonetic.

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

Want the full history of 炱? 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 炱?

Decomposition of 炱

IDS Structure⿱台火
炱Full Character
=
台Tai2
top
火Huo3
bottom
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 炱?

How to say soot in Chinese

“soot” in Chinese is炱tái

The character 炱 (tái) refers to soot, which is the black powdery substance produced by incomplete combustion of organic matter. It is commonly found in contexts related to pollution, cooking, and the use of traditional heating methods. Understanding this term can be helpful when discussing environmental issues and traditional Chinese practices involving fire.

When to use 炱

This character is quite specific to pollution contexts and may not be used in everyday conversation. Be mindful of using 炱 in more formal discussions about environmental concerns rather than casual chats. Avoid mispronouncing it as 'tāi,' which changes the meaning entirely.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 炱 with similar-sounding characters like 胎 (tāi, fetus) or 泰 (tài, peace), leading to misunderstandings. Always remember that 炱 specifically refers to soot and should be used in contexts related to burning or pollution.

Write 炱

炱

Practice writing 炱 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 炱

Words Containing This Character1
炱táisoot
Exercise 1 of 1

Compound Meaning

What does 炱 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 炱

炱 refers specifically to soot, the residue left after burning, while 烟 means smoke, which is the gas and airborne particles produced during combustion.

Jason Recommends

Not sure what to learn after 炱?

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.