Stroke order, etymology and audio for every word.Start learning
稀 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
Hanzi
Pinyin
English
Tags
稀
xī
rare
HSK 7, a, 12 strokes, radical 禾, rank #11217, Very Hard
稀
xī
uncommon
HSK 7, a, 12 strokes, radical 禾, rank #11217, Very Hard
稀
xī
watery
HSK 7, a, 12 strokes, radical 禾, rank #11217, Very Hard
稀
xī
sparse
HSK 7, a, 12 strokes, radical 禾, rank #11217, Very Hard
稀
xī
rare, unusual; scarce, sparse
HSK 7, a, 12 strokes, radical 禾, rank #11217, Very Hard
xī(xi1)xi T1
1rare
2uncommon
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026
稀xī(xi1)
The character 稀 (xī) conveys the idea of rarity or scarcity. It is commonly used to describe things that are not abundant, such as rare resources or unusual occurrences. Additionally, it can refer to a diluted or watery substance, emphasizing a lack of density or concentration.
Strokes12Radical禾Frequency#11217DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural note
In Chinese culture, the concept of rarity is often associated with value; for example, rare teas or antiques are highly prized. The phrase '稀世珍品' (xīshì zhēnpǐn) means 'world-class rarity' and reflects this cultural appreciation for the uncommon.
Memory tip
Imagine a thin soup that is very watery and has few ingredients, symbolizing something being sparse or rare. The character 稀 has the radical for 'rice' (米) at the bottom, which you can visualize as not much rice in a watery broth, helping you remember both the meaning and pronunciation.
Meanings of 稀
xī(xi1)
1rare
2uncommon
Exercise 1 of 2
By ear
Play it, then pick what 稀 means.
About 稀
稀Simplified
12Strokes
禾Radical
形容词xíngróngcíadjective (adj.)Part of Speech
#11217Frequency Rank
HSK 3.0L7AdvancedCEFRC2
Podcast: 稀
Podcast: 稀
Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you
New here?
AI study notes for 稀
Quick Contrast
稀 (xī) vs 稀少 (xī shǎo) — use 稀 for describing a lack of density or concentration, while 稀少 emphasizes scarcity in quantity.
Usage Notes
Be cautious not to confuse 稀 with similar-sounding words like 希 (xī), which means 'hope' or 'rare' in a different context. 稀 is often used in both formal and informal contexts, particularly in discussions about resources or densities, such as '稀有' (xīyǒu) for 'rare' or '稀薄' (xībó) for 'thin' or 'watery'.
HSK Study Tips
While 稀 is not specifically listed in HSK levels, it connects well with HSK vocabulary related to quantities and conditions, such as 多 (duō, many) and 少 (shǎo, few). Students should focus on its usage in descriptive contexts and its collocations.
Common Mistakes
Learners often confuse 稀 (xī) with 希 (xī), leading to incorrect usage in sentences like '这水很希' (This water is very 希) instead of '这水很稀' (This water is very 稀). Always remember that 稀 refers to something sparse or watery.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 稀
Premium — Locked
Tone practice
Pro
Drill the tone of 稀, say it back, see your pitch against the model voice, and earn XP towards mastery. Interactive tone practice is part of Pro.
Jason looks at what you watch and listen to, the checkpoints you have cleared, our lessons and what you have been exploring, and explains 稀 through them.
Sign in free to make it personal. New accounts start with 200 AI credits.
How well do you know 稀?
Example
Learning Lab
Knowing 稀 is seven skills, not one.
Its meaning, its character, its pinyin, its tone — hearing it, saying it, writing it. The Learning Lab measures each one from your own practice, on every word you study, so you see what you actually know rather than how much you have done.
稀 = 禾 + 希. What kind of character does that make it?
Decomposition of 稀
IDS Structure⿰禾希
稀Full character
=
禾he2
left
希xi1
right
Exercise 1 of 2
Parts
Which of these is part of 稀?
How to say rare in Chinese
“rare” in Chinese is稀xī
The character 稀 (xī) conveys the idea of rarity or scarcity. It is commonly used to describe things that are not abundant, such as rare resources or unusual occurrences. Additionally, it can refer to a diluted or watery substance, emphasizing a lack of density or concentration.
When to use 稀
Be cautious not to confuse 稀 with similar-sounding words like 希 (xī), which means 'hope' or 'rare' in a different context. 稀 is often used in both formal and informal contexts, particularly in discussions about resources or densities, such as '稀有' (xīyǒu) for 'rare' or '稀薄' (xībó) for 'thin' or 'watery'.
稀 or something close to it
稀 (xī) vs 稀少 (xī shǎo) — use 稀 for describing a lack of density or concentration, while 稀少 emphasizes scarcity in quantity.
What learners get wrong
Learners often confuse 稀 (xī) with 希 (xī), leading to incorrect usage in sentences like '这水很希' (This water is very 希) instead of '这水很稀' (This water is very 稀). Always remember that 稀 refers to something sparse or watery.
Write 稀
稀
New here? to save your writing progress and earn XP.
Practice writing 稀 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
Write correctly 3 times to earn XP
Grammar patterns of 稀
稀 functions as an adjective. In Chinese it behaves like a stative verb: place it directly after the subject without 是 (我很高，not 我是高). Use 不 to negate (不高) and pair it with 很 in plain affirmative sentences. It carries 5 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.
Exercise 1 of 4
Fill the gap
Type the missing word. Pinyin works; then pick the character.
几十个仆人迎合他所有____奇古怪的念头。
Dozens of servants had catered to his every whim.
Example sentences for 稀 (10)
Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
几十个仆人迎合他所有稀奇古怪的念头。
jǐ shí gè pū rén yínghé tā suǒyǒu xīqí gǔguài de niàntou。
Dozens of servants had catered to his every whim.
2
她把一头稀疏的浅黄色头发向后梳，挽成了个圆髻。
tā bǎ yìtóu xī shū de jiān huángsè tóufa xiàng hòu shū， wǎn chéng le gè yuán jì。
She had pale thin yellow hair she pulled back into a bun.
Both animals and people were gasping for breath in the rarefied air.
10
在她右边，远远的，她依稀能辨认出希法镇。
zài tā yòubian， yuǎnyuǎn de， tā yī xī néng biànrèn chū xī fǎ zhèn。
Distantly, to her right, she could make out the town of Chiffa.
Ask Jason
Have a question about 稀?
Jason answers about this word at your level: example sentences, how it differs from similar words, and a way to remember it.
Sign in free to ask. New accounts start with 200 AI credits.
Word Family of 稀
Words containing this character20
稀xīrare
稀有xīyǒuuncommon
稀释xīshìto dilute稀釋
稀罕xīhanrare
稀饭xīfànporridge稀飯
稀奇xīqírare
稀缺xīquēscarce
稀少xīshǎosparse
依稀yīxīvaguely
珍稀zhēnxīrare
稀薄xībóthin
稀奇古怪xīqígǔguàicrazy
稀土xītǔrare earth (chemistry)
稀疏xīshūsparse
稀里糊涂xīlihútumuddleheaded稀裏糊塗
稀烂xīlànsmashed up稀爛
稀客xīkèinfrequent visitor
稀松xīsōngpoor稀鬆
拉稀lāxīto cower
稀世xīshìrare
Exercise 1 of 4
Words with 稀
What does 稀有 mean?
Frequently asked questions about 稀
You can find 稀 in phrases like 稀有 (xīyǒu, rare) and 稀稀拉拉 (xīxīlālā, sparse), commonly used to describe things that are thinly spread or not plentiful.
Yes, 稀 can be used in both formal and informal contexts, but in formal writing, it is often found in discussions about scientific measurements or descriptions of rarity.
It is pronounced as 'xī', with a high, level tone.
Jason Recommends
Not sure what to learn after 稀?
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.
A sample week, replayed. Every page you study lands here in the order you did it — your own replay starts with a free account.
