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荸 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
荸bíwater chestnutx, 10 strokes, radical 艹
bí(bi2)bi T2
  1. 1water chestnut
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March 24, 2026

荸bí(bi2)

The character 荸 (bí) refers to the water chestnut, a crunchy aquatic vegetable commonly used in Chinese cuisine. It is often featured in stir-fries and soups for its unique texture and slightly sweet flavor, particularly during the harvest season in autumn.

Strokes10Radical艹
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, water chestnuts are celebrated for their crunchiness and are often included in festive dishes during the Lunar New Year, symbolizing prosperity and abundance.

Memory Tip

Imagine a big 'B' (for bí) floating on water surrounded by chestnuts. The character 荸 has the radical 艹 (grass) on top, which can remind you of the lush water plants where water chestnuts grow, while the bottom part resembles a chestnut that's crunchy and delicious.

Meanings of 荸

bí(bi2)
1water chestnut
Exercise 1 of 2

By ear

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About 荸

荸Simplified
10Strokes
艹Radical
非语素字non-morpheme character (n-m.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 荸

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Podcast: 荸

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AI Study Notes for 荸

Usage Notes

When using 荸, it's important to pair it with the correct measure words, as it is often counted in pieces or clusters. Be careful not to confuse it with similar-sounding words that refer to other vegetables. In informal conversations, it may be shortened to just '水栗'.

HSK Study Tips

Though 荸 is not included in the HSK vocabulary lists, it connects to common food-related terms that might appear in HSK Level 3 and above. Students should focus on its usage in culinary contexts and learn related food vocabulary.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 荸 with similar characters like 栗 (lì, referring to chestnuts) due to their phonetic similarities. A wrong usage would be saying '我想吃荸' when referring to traditional roasted chestnuts instead of water chestnuts.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 荸

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Etymology of 荸

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

plant

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

Origin

荸 = 艹 + 孛. What kind of character does that make it?

Decomposition of 荸

IDS Structure⿱艹孛
荸Full Character
=
艹cao3
top
孛bei4
bottom
Exercise 1 of 2

Parts

Which of these is part of 荸?

How to say water chestnut in Chinese

“water chestnut” in Chinese is荸bí

The character 荸 (bí) refers to the water chestnut, a crunchy aquatic vegetable commonly used in Chinese cuisine. It is often featured in stir-fries and soups for its unique texture and slightly sweet flavor, particularly during the harvest season in autumn.

When to use 荸

When using 荸, it's important to pair it with the correct measure words, as it is often counted in pieces or clusters. Be careful not to confuse it with similar-sounding words that refer to other vegetables. In informal conversations, it may be shortened to just '水栗'.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 荸 with similar characters like 栗 (lì, referring to chestnuts) due to their phonetic similarities. A wrong usage would be saying '我想吃荸' when referring to traditional roasted chestnuts instead of water chestnuts.

Write 荸

荸

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

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Word Family of 荸

Words Containing This Character2
荸荠Chinese water chestnut荸薺
荸bíChinese water chestnut
Exercise 1 of 1

Words with 荸

What does 荸荠 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 荸

荸 (water chestnut) has a slightly sweet and nutty flavor, with a crisp texture that adds a refreshing element to dishes.

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