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砹 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
砹àiastatineg, 10 strokes, radical 石, rank #58390, Very Hard
砹àiastatine (chemistry)unknown, 10 strokes, radical 石, rank #58390, Very Hard
ài(ai4) T4
  1. 1astatine
  2. 2astatine (chemistry)
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

砹ài(ai4)

The character 砹 (ài) refers specifically to astatine, a rare and radioactive element in the halogen group of the periodic table. It is not commonly encountered in everyday conversation and is primarily used in scientific or academic contexts, particularly in chemistry and discussions about elements and their properties.

Strokes10Radical石Frequency#58390DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, the periodic table and elements like astatine are important in educational contexts, particularly in science and technology discussions. The study of elements reflects the emphasis on modern scientific education in China.

Memory Tip

Imagine a giant 'A' (for astatine) buried under a rock (the radical '石' representing stone) that emits a faint glow. This rock is hard to find, just like astatine, which is one of the rarest elements on Earth. The pronunciation 'ài' sounds like 'eye', so visualize an eye peering at this mysterious glowing rock.

Meanings of 砹

ài(ai4)
1astatine
2astatine (chemistry)
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 砹

砹Simplified
10Strokes
石Radical
语素morpheme (morph.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 砹

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Podcast: 砹

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AI Study Notes for 砹

Usage Notes

Due to its specific scientific context, 砹 (ài) is rarely used in casual conversation, which may lead learners to misuse it in informal settings. It is important to be aware of its formal usage in chemistry discussions. Additionally, learners should practice the correct pronunciation to avoid confusion with similar-sounding characters.

HSK Study Tips

Although 砹 (ài) is not included in the HSK vocabulary lists, understanding it can deepen learners' knowledge of the chemistry vocabulary at higher levels. Focus on related characters and terms in chemistry, as many can be derived from basic radicals and components.

Common Mistakes

Learners may confuse 砹 (ài) with similar-sounding characters, such as 爱 (ài, love). A common mistake is using 砹 in informal situations, where it is inappropriate. Always remember that 砹 is strictly a scientific term.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 砹

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Etymology of 砹

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

mineral

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

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 砹

  1. 1The meaning half石 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half艾 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
  3. 3The giveawaymineral
  4. 4On the record aspictophonetic.

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

Want the full history of 砹? 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 砹?

Decomposition of 砹

IDS Structure⿰石艾
砹Full Character
=
石dan4
left
艾Ai4
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 砹?

How to say astatine in Chinese

“astatine” in Chinese is砹ài

The character 砹 (ài) refers specifically to astatine, a rare and radioactive element in the halogen group of the periodic table. It is not commonly encountered in everyday conversation and is primarily used in scientific or academic contexts, particularly in chemistry and discussions about elements and their properties.

When to use 砹

Due to its specific scientific context, 砹 (ài) is rarely used in casual conversation, which may lead learners to misuse it in informal settings. It is important to be aware of its formal usage in chemistry discussions. Additionally, learners should practice the correct pronunciation to avoid confusion with similar-sounding characters.

What learners get wrong

Learners may confuse 砹 (ài) with similar-sounding characters, such as 爱 (ài, love). A common mistake is using 砹 in informal situations, where it is inappropriate. Always remember that 砹 is strictly a scientific term.

Write 砹

砹

Practice writing 砹 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 砹

Words Containing This Character1
砹àiastatine (chemistry)
Exercise 1 of 1

Compound Meaning

What does 砹 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 砹

No, 砹 (ài) is a technical term used mainly in scientific contexts, particularly in chemistry.

Jason Recommends

Not sure what to learn after 砹?

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