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艿 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
艿nǎitarox, 5 strokes, radical 艹
nǎi(nai3) T3
  1. 1taro
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

艿nǎi(nai3)

The character 艿 (nǎi) refers specifically to taro, a starchy root vegetable that is often used in Chinese cuisine. It is commonly found in dishes such as soups and desserts, and is valued for its texture and nutritional benefits. In a broader context, it's associated with the character 芋 (yù), which also refers to root vegetables.

Strokes5Radical艹
Cultural Note

Taro is an important ingredient in many Chinese desserts, particularly in regions like Guangdong, where it's used in sweet soups and pastries. Its significance in traditional Chinese cuisine highlights the importance of root vegetables in Chinese agriculture.

Memory Tip

Imagine a giant taro root growing in a field. The character 艿 resembles a plant with roots (the 艾 radical) and the nǎi sound can remind you of 'nice' - think of how nice it is to dig up fresh taro! Visualize yourself harvesting taro to remember its meaning.

Meanings of 艿

nǎi(nai3)
1taro
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 艿

艿Simplified
5Strokes
艹Radical
非语素字non-morpheme character (n-m.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 艿

JasonAmy

Podcast: 艿

Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you

AI Study Notes for 艿

Usage Notes

When using 艿, it's important to note it is not commonly used in everyday conversation on its own, but rather appears in compound words like 芋艿 (yù nǎi). Learners should be cautious with pronunciation, as misplacing the tone can lead to confusion with other words.

HSK Study Tips

While 艿 is not part of the official HSK vocabulary, understanding it can enhance knowledge of food-related terms that may appear in HSK Level 3 or higher. Students should focus on related vocabulary, especially those concerning food and cooking.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 艿 with similar-sounding characters, leading to incorrect usage. For example, using 艿 when they mean 芋 (yù) can lead to misunderstandings about what type of vegetable is being discussed.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 艿

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Etymology of 艿

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

plant

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

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 艿

  1. 1The meaning half艹 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half乃 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
  3. 3The giveawayplant
  4. 4On the record aspictophonetic.

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

Want the full history of 艿? 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 艿?

Decomposition of 艿

IDS Structure⿱艹乃
艿Full Character
=
艹cao3
top
乃nai3
bottom
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 艿?

How to say taro in Chinese

“taro” in Chinese is艿nǎi

The character 艿 (nǎi) refers specifically to taro, a starchy root vegetable that is often used in Chinese cuisine. It is commonly found in dishes such as soups and desserts, and is valued for its texture and nutritional benefits. In a broader context, it's associated with the character 芋 (yù), which also refers to root vegetables.

When to use 艿

When using 艿, it's important to note it is not commonly used in everyday conversation on its own, but rather appears in compound words like 芋艿 (yù nǎi). Learners should be cautious with pronunciation, as misplacing the tone can lead to confusion with other words.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 艿 with similar-sounding characters, leading to incorrect usage. For example, using 艿 when they mean 芋 (yù) can lead to misunderstandings about what type of vegetable is being discussed.

Write 艿

艿

Practice writing 艿 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 艿

Words Containing This Character1
艿nǎitaro
Exercise 1 of 1

Compound Meaning

What does 艿 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 艿

You might say 芋艿很好吃 (yù nǎi hěn hǎo chī) which means 'Taro is very delicious.'

Jason Recommends

Not sure what to learn after 艿?

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.