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荸 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
荸bíwater chestnutx, 10 strokes, radical 艹
bí(bi2) T2
  1. 1water chestnut
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
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

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

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

Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you

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

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 荸

  1. 1The meaning half艹 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half孛 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 荸? 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 荸?

Decomposition of 荸

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

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component 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.

Write correctly 3 times to earn XP

Word Family of 荸

Words Containing This Character2
荸荠Chinese water chestnut荸薺
荸bíChinese water chestnut
Exercise 1 of 2

Compound Meaning

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.

Jason Recommends

Not sure what to learn after 荸?

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.