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炱 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
炱táisootg, 9 strokes, radical 火
tái(tai2)tai T2
  1. 1soot
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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

By ear

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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
Exercise 1 of 1

Origin

炱 = 火 + 台. What kind of character does that make it?

Decomposition of 炱

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

Parts

Which of these is part 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.

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Word Family of 炱

Words containing this character1
炱táisoot

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.

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