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莶 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
莶xiānvinex, 10 strokes, radical 艹
xiān(xian1) T1
  1. 1vine
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

莶xiān(xian1)

The character 莶 (xiān) refers to a type of vine, often associated with plants that climb or creep along surfaces. It is not commonly used in everyday conversation, but it can appear in botanical contexts or literary works that discuss nature and flora.

Strokes10Radical艹
Cultural Note

In traditional Chinese medicine and agriculture, various vines play significant roles, often symbolizing growth and resilience. The character 莶 might evoke imagery of lush landscapes in Chinese poetry, reflecting the importance of nature in Chinese culture.

Memory Tip

Imagine a vine (the meaning of 莶) growing up a wall. The character resembles a plant climbing upwards, with the radical '艹' (grass) indicating its botanical nature. Remember 'xiān' by picturing a vine that is 'sneaking' up a fence.

Meanings of 莶

xiān(xian1)
1vine
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 莶

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

Podcast: 莶

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Podcast: 莶

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AI Study Notes for 莶

Usage Notes

This character is quite rare, so it's typically used in specialized contexts rather than in casual conversation. Be cautious not to confuse it with more common words for plants or vines, such as vine (藤, téng). It's generally more formal and may not appear in everyday discussions.

HSK Study Tips

As this character is not part of the HSK vocabulary, students should focus on understanding its components and how it relates to other plant-related characters at their level. Familiarize yourself with more common characters in the botanical realm for broader context.

Common Mistakes

Learners might confuse 莶 with similar characters like 藤 (téng), which means vine but is more commonly used. Remember that 莶 is more specialized and less frequently encountered.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 莶

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Etymology of 莶

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

plant

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

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 莶

  1. 1The meaning half艹 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half佥 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 莶? 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 莶?

Decomposition of 莶

IDS Structure⿱艹佥
莶Full Character
=
艹cao3
top
佥qian1
bottom
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 莶?

How to say vine in Chinese

“vine” in Chinese is莶xiān

The character 莶 (xiān) refers to a type of vine, often associated with plants that climb or creep along surfaces. It is not commonly used in everyday conversation, but it can appear in botanical contexts or literary works that discuss nature and flora.

When to use 莶

This character is quite rare, so it's typically used in specialized contexts rather than in casual conversation. Be cautious not to confuse it with more common words for plants or vines, such as vine (藤, téng). It's generally more formal and may not appear in everyday discussions.

What learners get wrong

Learners might confuse 莶 with similar characters like 藤 (téng), which means vine but is more commonly used. Remember that 莶 is more specialized and less frequently encountered.

Write 莶

莶

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

Write correctly 3 times to earn XP

Frequently Asked Questions about 莶

No, 莶 is quite rare and mainly found in specific botanical texts or literature.

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