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莴 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
莴wōlettucezg, 10 strokes, radical 艹, rank #73031, Very Hard
莴wōlettuce, see 萵苣|莴苣unknown, 10 strokes, radical 艹, rank #73031, Very Hard
wō(wo1)wo T1
  1. 1lettuce
  2. 2lettuce, see 萵苣|莴苣
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March 24, 2026

莴(萵)wō(wo1)

The character 莴 (wō) refers specifically to a type of lettuce known as 'Chinese lettuce' or 'asparagus lettuce.' It is commonly used in Chinese cuisine, particularly in stir-fries and salads. This term can also be seen in the compound word 莴苣 (wōjù), which is the standard term for lettuce in Mandarin.

Strokes10Radical艹Frequency#73031DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural note

In Chinese culture, fresh vegetables like 莴 are highly valued in cooking, especially during the spring and summer months when they are in season. The character is often found in recipes and menus, reflecting the importance of fresh produce in Chinese cuisine.

Memory tip

Imagine a tall, green plant that looks like it has long, slender leaves—this is the 莴 (wō) lettuce. The character has the radical for 'plant' (艹) at the top, which can remind you that it is a vegetable, and the bottom part sounds like 'woe,' as in 'woe is me if I don't eat my greens!'

Meanings of 莴

wō(wo1)
1lettuce
2lettuce, see 萵苣|莴苣
Exercise 1 of 2

By ear

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About 莴

莴Simplified
萵Traditional
10Strokes
艹Radical
状态词stative word (stat.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 莴

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Podcast: 莴

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AI study notes for 莴

Usage Notes

Be careful not to confuse 莴 with other types of lettuce or greens, as it specifically refers to a particular variety. It is more commonly used in informal settings, such as conversations about food, rather than in formal writing. The correct pronunciation is crucial; mispronouncing 'wō' could lead to confusion with other similar-sounding characters.

HSK Study Tips

Although 莴 is not a part of the HSK vocabulary list, it is useful for learners who are focusing on food-related vocabulary. Students at this level should pay attention to the tones and learn related food terms to build a comprehensive culinary vocabulary.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 莴 with other vegetable terms like 菠菜 (bōcài, spinach) or 生菜 (shēngcài, lettuce in general). A common error is saying '生菜' when they actually mean '莴,' which can lead to misunderstandings in culinary discussions.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 莴

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Etymology of 莴

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

plant

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

Origin

莴 = 艹 + 呙. What kind of character does that make it?

Decomposition of 莴

IDS Structure⿱艹呙
莴Full character
=
艹cao3
top
呙Guo1
bottom
Exercise 1 of 2

Parts

Which of these is part of 莴?

How to say lettuce in Chinese

“lettuce” in Chinese is莴wō

The character 莴 (wō) refers specifically to a type of lettuce known as 'Chinese lettuce' or 'asparagus lettuce.' It is commonly used in Chinese cuisine, particularly in stir-fries and salads. This term can also be seen in the compound word 莴苣 (wōjù), which is the standard term for lettuce in Mandarin.

When to use 莴

Be careful not to confuse 莴 with other types of lettuce or greens, as it specifically refers to a particular variety. It is more commonly used in informal settings, such as conversations about food, rather than in formal writing. The correct pronunciation is crucial; mispronouncing 'wō' could lead to confusion with other similar-sounding characters.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 莴 with other vegetable terms like 菠菜 (bōcài, spinach) or 生菜 (shēngcài, lettuce in general). A common error is saying '生菜' when they actually mean '莴,' which can lead to misunderstandings in culinary discussions.

Write 莴

莴

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

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Grammar patterns of 莴

莴 carries 2 distinct meanings. 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 3

Fill the gap

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

买些____苣和西红柿,我好做色拉.

Get some lettuce and tomatoes so I can make a salad.

Example sentences for 莴 (2)

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1
买些莴苣和西红柿,我好做色拉.

mǎi xiē wō jù hé xī hóng shì, , wǒ hǎo zuò sè.

Get some lettuce and tomatoes so I can make a salad.
2
把莴苣洗一下拍干。

bǎ wō jù xǐ yī xià pāi gān。

Wash the lettuce and pat it dry.

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Word Family of 莴

Words containing this character3
莴苣lettuce (Lactuca sativa)萵苣
莴笋celtuce萵筍
莴wōlettuce, see 萵苣|莴苣萵
Exercise 1 of 2

Words with 莴

What does 莴苣 mean?

Frequently asked questions about 莴

莴 is a specific type of lettuce, while 萵苣 (wōjù) is the general term for lettuce in Mandarin.

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