Mandarin TempleMandarin Temple Beta Come for Knowledge. Stay for Wisdom.
Start your Chinese Learning JourneyStart Now
芮 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
芮ruìsurname Ruiunknown, 7 strokes, radical 艹, rank #10791, Very Hard
芮ruìtiny, small; the water's edgenr, 7 strokes, radical 艹, rank #10791, Very Hard
ruì(Rui4) T4
  1. 1surname Rui
  2. 2tiny, small; the water's edge
Also a Chinese surname, Rui — see the Surname Dictionary
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

芮ruì(Rui4)

The character 芮 (ruì) primarily denotes the concept of 'tiny' or 'small.' It is also associated with the edge of water, reflecting a sense of delicacy or subtlety. Additionally, 芮 is a common Chinese surname, which can be used in names and formal contexts.

Strokes7Radical艹Frequency#10791DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, surnames like 芮 can carry historical significance, often linking individuals to their ancestry. Understanding surnames is important in social interactions, as they can indicate lineage and familial connections.

Memory Tip

Imagine a tiny person (representing 'small') standing at the edge of a serene lake (symbolizing 'water's edge'). The character 芮 has the radical for plant (艹) at its top, which can remind you of a small plant growing by the water.

Meanings of 芮

ruì(Rui4)
1tiny, small; the water's edge
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 芮

芮Simplified
7Strokes
艹Radical
人名míngcíproper noun (pr.n.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 芮

JasonAmy

Podcast: 芮

Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you

AI Study Notes for 芮

Usage Notes

Be cautious not to confuse 芮 with similar-sounding characters; pronunciation is key as mispronouncing it can change the meaning. This character is often used in formal contexts, especially when referring to the surname, so it's important to recognize it in both names and descriptions.

HSK Study Tips

While 芮 is not listed in HSK levels, it connects with HSK vocabulary related to nature and family names. Focus on the pronunciation and use this character in conversations about personal names or small objects to enhance your fluency.

Common Mistakes

A common mistake is mispronouncing 芮 as 'ruí,' which has a different meaning. Always remember to use the falling tone (ruì) to convey the correct meaning.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 芮

Premium — Locked

AI tone practice

Pro

Drill the tone of 芮 with AI-powered exercises, get instant feedback, and earn XP toward mastery. Interactive tone practice is part of Pro.

Tone drillsInstant feedback+5 XP
See plans to unlock

Etymology of 芮

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

Phonosemantic compound. 艹 represents the meaning and 内 represents the sound.

Memory Hint

grass

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

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 芮

Phonosemantic compound. 艹 represents the meaning and 内 represents the sound.

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

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

Want the full history of 芮? 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 芮?

Decomposition of 芮

IDS Structure⿱艹内
芮Full Character
=
艹cao3
top
内nei4
bottom
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 芮?

How to say surname Rui in Chinese

“surname Rui” in Chinese is芮ruì

The character 芮 (ruì) primarily denotes the concept of 'tiny' or 'small.' It is also associated with the edge of water, reflecting a sense of delicacy or subtlety. Additionally, 芮 is a common Chinese surname, which can be used in names and formal contexts.

When to use 芮

Be cautious not to confuse 芮 with similar-sounding characters; pronunciation is key as mispronouncing it can change the meaning. This character is often used in formal contexts, especially when referring to the surname, so it's important to recognize it in both names and descriptions.

What learners get wrong

A common mistake is mispronouncing 芮 as 'ruí,' which has a different meaning. Always remember to use the falling tone (ruì) to convey the correct meaning.

Write 芮

芮

Practice writing 芮 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 芮

Words Containing This Character4
芮ruìsurname Rui
芮城Ruicheng county in Yuncheng 運城|运城[Yùn​chéng], Shanxi
芮城县Ruicheng county in Yuncheng 運城|运城[Yùn​chéng], Shanxi芮城縣
芮氏Richter (scale)
Exercise 1 of 4

Compound Meaning

What does 芮 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 芮

芮 means 'tiny' or 'small' and is also a surname in Chinese.

Jason Recommends

Not sure what to learn after 芮?

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.