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芍 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
芍quèpeony; water chestnutsn, 6 strokes, radical 艹
芍quèChinese peonyunknown, 6 strokes, radical 艹
芍quèPaeonia albiflora or lactifloraunknown, 6 strokes, radical 艹
芍sháopeony; water chestnutsn, 6 strokes, radical 艹
芍sháoChinese peonyunknown, 6 strokes, radical 艹
芍sháoPaeonia albiflora or lactifloraunknown, 6 strokes, radical 艹
què(Que4)que
primary
T4
  1. 1peony; water chestnuts
  2. 2Chinese peony
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March 24, 2026

芍què(Que4)

The character 芍 (què) refers to the peony, a flower revered in Chinese culture for its beauty and association with wealth and good fortune. It is often used in traditional Chinese medicine and is also linked to the water chestnut, showcasing its significance in both botanical and culinary contexts.

Strokes6Radical艹
Cultural note

In Chinese culture, the peony symbolizes wealth and prosperity and is often featured in art and literature. It is celebrated during festivals and is a popular subject in traditional paintings, showcasing its deep-rooted significance.

Memory tip

Imagine a beautiful peony (芍) standing tall, its petals like the elegant strokes of a brush. The character has the radical for 'plant' (艹) on top, reminding you of its botanical nature, while the bottom part (夕) can be visualized as the sunset, suggesting the flower's beauty at dusk.

Meanings of 芍

què(Que4)
primary
1peony; water chestnuts
2Chinese peony
Exercise 1 of 2

By ear

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About 芍

芍Simplified
6Strokes
艹Radical
名词míngcínoun (n.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 芍

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Podcast: 芍

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AI study notes for 芍

Usage Notes

Be careful not to confuse 芍 with similar characters, especially in pronunciation. It is often used in formal contexts, particularly in poetry and herbal medicine, where precise terminology is important. Common collocations include 芍药 (sháo yào), meaning peony root, and related terms in traditional medicine.

HSK Study Tips

Although 芍 is not part of the official HSK vocabulary, it can be related to HSK Level 5 terms that deal with nature and plants. Students should focus on recognizing its use in botanical contexts and its connections to traditional practices.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 芍 with other similar-sounding characters like 书 (shū), meaning 'book'. To avoid this, remember that 芍 specifically relates to the peony and has a botanical context. A common mistake is using it in casual conversation, where simpler terms might be more appropriate.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 芍

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Etymology of 芍

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

plant

Semantic (meaning)艹
+
Phonetic (sound)勺
Learn more about Phono-semantic (形声字) characters
Exercise 1 of 1

Origin

芍 = 艹 + 勺. What kind of character does that make it?

Decomposition of 芍

IDS Structure⿱艹勺
芍Full character
=
艹cao3
top
勺shao2
bottom
Exercise 1 of 2

Parts

Which of these is part of 芍?

How to say peony; water chestnuts in Chinese

“peony; water chestnuts” in Chinese is芍què

The character 芍 (què) refers to the peony, a flower revered in Chinese culture for its beauty and association with wealth and good fortune. It is often used in traditional Chinese medicine and is also linked to the water chestnut, showcasing its significance in both botanical and culinary contexts.

When to use 芍

Be careful not to confuse 芍 with similar characters, especially in pronunciation. It is often used in formal contexts, particularly in poetry and herbal medicine, where precise terminology is important. Common collocations include 芍药 (sháo yào), meaning peony root, and related terms in traditional medicine.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 芍 with other similar-sounding characters like 书 (shū), meaning 'book'. To avoid this, remember that 芍 specifically relates to the peony and has a botanical context. A common mistake is using it in casual conversation, where simpler terms might be more appropriate.

Write 芍

芍

Practice writing 芍 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.

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Word Family of 芍

Words containing this character2
芍quèChinese peony
芍药peony used in TCM芍藥
Exercise 1 of 1

Words with 芍

What does 芍药 mean?

Frequently asked questions about 芍

It means peony, a flower associated with beauty and wealth in Chinese culture.

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