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茛 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
茛gènranunculusx, 9 strokes, radical 艹
gèn(gen4)gen T4
  1. 1ranunculus
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March 24, 2026

茛gèn(gen4)

The character 茛 (gèn) refers to the genus of flowering plants commonly known as ranunculus. These plants are characterized by their vibrant flowers and are often found in wet, grassy areas. In Chinese culture, they can symbolize beauty and a fleeting nature, often seen in poetry.

Strokes9Radical艹
Cultural note

In traditional Chinese medicine, various plants, including ranunculus, are sometimes referenced for their medicinal properties, linking this character to cultural practices surrounding health and nature.

Memory tip

Imagine a beautiful garden filled with colorful ranunculus flowers swaying in the breeze. The character 茛 resembles a flower with its top (艹) representing leaves or grass, while the bottom (艮) can remind you of the roots anchoring these plants to the earth, helping you remember the pronunciation 'gèn'.

Meanings of 茛

gèn(gen4)
1ranunculus
Exercise 1 of 2

By ear

Play it, then pick what 茛 means.

About 茛

茛Simplified
9Strokes
艹Radical
非语素字non-morpheme character (n-m.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 茛

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Podcast: 茛

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AI study notes for 茛

Usage Notes

This character is rarely used in everyday conversations, primarily appearing in botanical contexts or literature. It's important to note that learners might confuse it with similar characters due to its uncommon usage. Remember to use it in the right context to avoid sounding overly formal.

HSK Study Tips

Since 茛 is not included in the HSK syllabus, focus on recognizing its form and meaning rather than memorizing it for tests. Connecting it with other botanical terms at HSK Level 3 and 4, like 花 (huā - flower) and 树 (shù - tree), can enhance vocabulary related to nature.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 茛 with other similar characters like 藏 (cáng) or 葛 (gé). For example, mistakenly using 藏 instead of 茛 when referring to plants would be incorrect; ensure to use 茛 specifically for ranunculus.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 茛

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Etymology of 茛

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

plant

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

Origin

茛 = 艹 + 艮. What kind of character does that make it?

Decomposition of 茛

IDS Structure⿱艹艮
茛Full character
=
艹cao3
top
艮gen3
bottom
Exercise 1 of 2

Parts

Which of these is part of 茛?

How to say ranunculus in Chinese

“ranunculus” in Chinese is茛gèn

The character 茛 (gèn) refers to the genus of flowering plants commonly known as ranunculus. These plants are characterized by their vibrant flowers and are often found in wet, grassy areas. In Chinese culture, they can symbolize beauty and a fleeting nature, often seen in poetry.

When to use 茛

This character is rarely used in everyday conversations, primarily appearing in botanical contexts or literature. It's important to note that learners might confuse it with similar characters due to its uncommon usage. Remember to use it in the right context to avoid sounding overly formal.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 茛 with other similar characters like 藏 (cáng) or 葛 (gé). For example, mistakenly using 藏 instead of 茛 when referring to plants would be incorrect; ensure to use 茛 specifically for ranunculus.

Write 茛

茛

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

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Grammar patterns of 茛

茛 carries one core meaning. Below you'll find the patterns that show how it combines with other words, plus example sentences pulled directly from native usage.

Exercise 1 of 1

Fill the gap

Type the missing word. Pinyin works; then pick the character.

一般认为,前者的花瓣与毛____属植物花萼同源.

The former are considered to be homologous with the sepals of Ranunculus.

Example sentences for 茛 (1)

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1
一般认为,前者的花瓣与毛茛属植物花萼同源.

yìbān rènwéi, qiánzhě de huābàn yǔ máo gèn shǔ zhíwù huā è tóng yuán.

The former are considered to be homologous with the sepals of Ranunculus.

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Word Family of 茛

Words containing this character2
茛gènranunculus
毛茛buttercup
Exercise 1 of 1

Words with 茛

What does 毛茛 mean?

Frequently asked questions about 茛

No, 茛 is primarily used in botanical contexts and literature.

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