Skip to content
Start your Chinese Learning JourneyStart Now
莳 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
莳shíto transplant, to grow; dill, Anethum graveolensx, 10 strokes, radical 艹, rank #22328, Very Hard
莳shìto transplant, to grow; dill, Anethum graveolensx, 10 strokes, radical 艹, rank #22328, Very Hard
shí(shi2)
primary
T2
  1. 1to transplant, to grow; dill, Anethum graveolens
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

莳(蒔)shí(shi2)

The character 莳 (shí) refers to the act of transplanting or growing plants, particularly in the context of agriculture or gardening. It can also specifically denote the herb dill. This word is commonly used in discussions about horticulture and farming practices in Chinese-speaking regions.

Strokes10Radical艹Frequency#22328DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note

In traditional Chinese culture, the practice of planting and transplanting is significant, especially in rural areas where agriculture is a primary livelihood. The seasonal cycles of planting often align with important festivals and rituals.

Memory Tip

Imagine a farmer with a shovel (土) planting dill (莳) in neat rows. The character's left side (艹) suggests 'plants,' while the right side (士) can remind you of a skilled worker (a farmer) tending to the fields.

Meanings of 莳

shí(shi2)
primary
1to transplant, to grow; dill, Anethum graveolens
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 莳

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

Podcast: 莳

JasonAmy

Podcast: 莳

Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you

AI Study Notes for 莳

Usage Notes

Learners should note that 莳 is often used in more formal contexts related to agriculture. Be cautious not to confuse it with other similar-sounding words that mean 'to plant' or 'to sow.' It is common to pair this word with terms related to specific plants or farming techniques.

HSK Study Tips

Although 莳 is not part of the HSK vocabulary lists, it connects to common agricultural terms that learners at this level might encounter. Students should focus on building a vocabulary that includes plant-related terms and their uses.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 莳 (to transplant) with other similar characters like 播 (to sow). For example, saying '我莳种子' (I transplant seeds) is incorrect; it should be '我播种子' (I sow seeds).

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 莳

Premium — Locked

AI tone practice

Pro

Drill the tone of 莳 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 莳

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

Phonosemantic compound. 艹 represents the meaning and 时 represents the sound. Simplified form of 蒔.

Memory Hint

herb

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

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 莳

Phonosemantic compound. 艹 represents the meaning and 时 represents the sound. Simplified form of 蒔.

  1. 1The meaning half艹 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half时 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 莳? 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 莳?

Decomposition of 莳

IDS Structure⿱艹时
莳Full Character
=
艹cao3
top
时shi2
bottom
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 莳?

How to say to transplant, to grow; dill, Anethum graveolens in Chinese

“to transplant, to grow; dill, Anethum graveolens” in Chinese is莳shí

The character 莳 (shí) refers to the act of transplanting or growing plants, particularly in the context of agriculture or gardening. It can also specifically denote the herb dill. This word is commonly used in discussions about horticulture and farming practices in Chinese-speaking regions.

When to use 莳

Learners should note that 莳 is often used in more formal contexts related to agriculture. Be cautious not to confuse it with other similar-sounding words that mean 'to plant' or 'to sow.' It is common to pair this word with terms related to specific plants or farming techniques.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 莳 (to transplant) with other similar characters like 播 (to sow). For example, saying '我莳种子' (I transplant seeds) is incorrect; it should be '我播种子' (I sow seeds).

Write 莳

莳

Practice writing 莳 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 莳

Words Containing This Character2
莳shíto grow蒔
莳萝dill (herb, Anethum graveolens)蒔蘿
Exercise 1 of 2

Compound Meaning

What does 莳 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 莳

It refers to the act of transplanting or growing plants, especially herbs like dill.

Jason Recommends

Not sure what to learn after 莳?

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.