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茈 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
茈zǐa plant yielding a red dyezg, 9 strokes, radical 艹
茈zǐCommon Gromwell or European stoneseed (Lithospermum officinale)unknown, 9 strokes, radical 艹
茈cía plant yielding a red dyezg, 9 strokes, radical 艹
茈cíCommon Gromwell or European stoneseed (Lithospermum officinale)unknown, 9 strokes, radical 艹
cí(ci2)
primary
T2
  1. 1a plant yielding a red dye
  2. 2Common Gromwell or European stoneseed (Lithospermum officinale)
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

茈cí(ci2)

The character 茈 (cí) refers to a plant known for its use in producing a red dye, specifically the Common Gromwell or European stoneseed. This plant is notable for its medicinal properties and its historical significance in dyeing textiles, particularly in traditional Chinese practices.

Strokes9Radical艹
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, natural dyes derived from plants like 茈 have been used historically in traditional textile production, emphasizing the deep connection between nature and art in Chinese craftsmanship.

Memory Tip

Imagine a vibrant red dye spilling from a pot, with a gromwell plant sprouting nearby. The character 茈 resembles a plant (the radical '艹' on top) with roots that delve deep into the soil, connecting the idea of nature and color to its pronunciation 'cí'.

Meanings of 茈

cí(ci2)
primary
1a plant yielding a red dye
2Common Gromwell or European stoneseed (Lithospermum officinale)
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 茈

茈Simplified
9Strokes
艹Radical
状态词stative word (stat.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 茈

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Podcast: 茈

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AI Study Notes for 茈

Usage Notes

Due to its specialized meaning, 茈 is rarely used in everyday conversation, making it more common in botanical or historical texts. Learners should ensure to use it in appropriate contexts, predominantly related to plants or dyeing. The tone is crucial; remember to pronounce it with a rising tone (second tone) to avoid confusion with other similar-sounding words.

HSK Study Tips

As 茈 is not part of the official HSK vocabulary list, it may not appear in standard language learning resources. However, understanding this character can enhance your knowledge of botanical terminology, which connects with other HSK level 5-6 words related to plants and nature. Focus on the radicals when learning characters at this level.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 茈 with other similar characters due to its specific usage; for example, using it in a casual context where a more common word for 'plant' should be used. Always remember its connection to dyeing plants when using it.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 茈

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Etymology of 茈

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

plant

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

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 茈

  1. 1The meaning half艹 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half此 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 茈? 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 茈?

Decomposition of 茈

IDS Structure⿱艹此
茈Full Character
=
艹cao3
top
此ci3
bottom
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 茈?

How to say a plant yielding a red dye in Chinese

“a plant yielding a red dye” in Chinese is茈zǐ

The character 茈 (cí) refers to a plant known for its use in producing a red dye, specifically the Common Gromwell or European stoneseed. This plant is notable for its medicinal properties and its historical significance in dyeing textiles, particularly in traditional Chinese practices.

When to use 茈

Due to its specialized meaning, 茈 is rarely used in everyday conversation, making it more common in botanical or historical texts. Learners should ensure to use it in appropriate contexts, predominantly related to plants or dyeing. The tone is crucial; remember to pronounce it with a rising tone (second tone) to avoid confusion with other similar-sounding words.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 茈 with other similar characters due to its specific usage; for example, using it in a casual context where a more common word for 'plant' should be used. Always remember its connection to dyeing plants when using it.

Write 茈

茈

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

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Word Family of 茈

Words Containing This Character1
茈cíCommon Gromwell or European stoneseed (Lithospermum officinale)
Exercise 1 of 1

Compound Meaning

What does 茈 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 茈

茈 refers to a plant that produces a red dye, known as the Common Gromwell.

Jason Recommends

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