Mandarin TempleMandarin Temple Beta Come for Knowledge. Stay for Wisdom.
Start your Chinese Learning JourneyStart Now
荭 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
荭hóngherbx, 9 strokes, radical 艹
hóng(hong2) T2
  1. 1herb
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

荭(葒)hóng(hong2)

The character 荭 (hóng) refers to a type of herb, often associated with medicinal or culinary uses in Chinese culture. It is commonly found in contexts related to traditional Chinese medicine and cooking, where various herbs are valued for their health benefits and flavors.

Strokes9Radical艹
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, herbs are integral to traditional medicine, which emphasizes natural remedies. The use of herbs like 荭 reflects the deep-rooted belief in the healing properties of nature.

Memory Tip

Imagine a lush green field filled with herbs, the 'hóng' sound echoing as you walk through it. The character 荭 has the radical '艹' (plant) on top, representing its connection to plants and herbs, while the bottom part sounds like 'hóng', helping you remember its meaning.

Meanings of 荭

hóng(hong2)
1herb
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 荭

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

Podcast: 荭

JasonAmy

Podcast: 荭

Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you

AI Study Notes for 荭

Usage Notes

Be aware that 荭 may not be frequently used in everyday conversation, making it more common in specialized contexts like herbal medicine. Make sure to pronounce it with the second tone (hóng) to avoid confusion with other characters.

HSK Study Tips

Although 荭 is not part of the official HSK vocabulary, its connection to other words related to plants and herbs can help learners expand their vocabulary. Focus on related terms like 草 (cǎo - grass) and 药 (yào - medicine) to build a broader understanding.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 荭 with similar-sounding words. For example, saying 'hǎng' instead of 'hóng' can lead to misunderstanding. Always remember the correct pronunciation to convey the intended meaning.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 荭

Premium — Locked

AI tone practice

Pro

Drill the tone of 荭 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 荭

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

herb

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

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 荭

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

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

Want the full history of 荭? 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 荭?

Decomposition of 荭

IDS Structure⿱艹红
荭Full Character
=
艹cao3
top
红Hong2
bottom
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 荭?

How to say herb in Chinese

“herb” in Chinese is荭hóng

The character 荭 (hóng) refers to a type of herb, often associated with medicinal or culinary uses in Chinese culture. It is commonly found in contexts related to traditional Chinese medicine and cooking, where various herbs are valued for their health benefits and flavors.

When to use 荭

Be aware that 荭 may not be frequently used in everyday conversation, making it more common in specialized contexts like herbal medicine. Make sure to pronounce it with the second tone (hóng) to avoid confusion with other characters.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 荭 with similar-sounding words. For example, saying 'hǎng' instead of 'hóng' can lead to misunderstanding. Always remember the correct pronunciation to convey the intended meaning.

Write 荭

荭

Practice writing 荭 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 荭

Words Containing This Character1
荭hóngherb葒
Exercise 1 of 1

Compound Meaning

What does 荭 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 荭

荭 specifically refers to a certain type of herb, while other characters like 草 (cǎo) can refer to grass in general or other types of herbs.

Jason Recommends

Not sure what to learn after 荭?

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.