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菖 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
菖chāngiris, sweet flag, Calamusn, 11 strokes, radical 艹
chāng(chang1) T1
  1. 1iris, sweet flag, Calamus
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

菖chāng(chang1)

The character 菖 (chāng) refers specifically to the iris plant, commonly known as sweet flag or calamus. It is often associated with traditional Chinese medicine and is used in herbal remedies. The term is most frequently encountered in the context of the phrase 菖蒲 (chāng pú), which refers to the sweet flag, a plant celebrated for its medicinal properties.

Strokes11Radical艹
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, 菖蒲 is traditionally used during the Dragon Boat Festival, where it is hung on doors to ward off evil spirits and bring good luck. This highlights its significance in folklore and traditional celebrations.

Memory Tip

Imagine a 'chang' (chāng) that grows tall and proud, like an iris, with its beautiful flowers waving in the breeze. The character 菖 has a grass radical (艹) at the top, suggesting its nature as a plant, while the bottom part sounds like 'chang,' resembling the way sweet flag bends gracefully in water.

Meanings of 菖

chāng(chang1)
1iris, sweet flag, Calamus
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 菖

菖Simplified
11Strokes
艹Radical
名词míngcínoun (n.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 菖

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Podcast: 菖

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AI Study Notes for 菖

Usage Notes

Common mistakes include confusing 菖 with similar characters, such as 常 (cháng), which means 'often.' This character is more commonly used in formal contexts, particularly in herbal medicine discussions. Remember to use the correct tones when saying 'chāng' to avoid misunderstandings.

HSK Study Tips

Though 菖 is not part of the official HSK vocabulary list, it is related to other plant names and terms in higher levels. Focus on understanding its usage in context, especially in herbal medicine, to connect it with vocabulary from levels 3 to 6.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 菖 (chāng) with 常 (cháng), which means 'often.' A common error is saying '常蒲' instead of '菖蒲' when referring to the sweet flag. Make sure to remember the correct character in context.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 菖

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Etymology of 菖

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

grass

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

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 菖

  1. 1The meaning half艹 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half昌 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
  3. 3The giveawaygrass
  4. 4On the record aspictophonetic.

Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.

Want the full history of 菖? 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 菖?

Decomposition of 菖

IDS Structure⿱艹昌
菖Full Character
=
艹cao3
top
昌Chang1
bottom
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 菖?

How to say iris, sweet flag, Calamus in Chinese

“iris, sweet flag, Calamus” in Chinese is菖chāng

The character 菖 (chāng) refers specifically to the iris plant, commonly known as sweet flag or calamus. It is often associated with traditional Chinese medicine and is used in herbal remedies. The term is most frequently encountered in the context of the phrase 菖蒲 (chāng pú), which refers to the sweet flag, a plant celebrated for its medicinal properties.

When to use 菖

Common mistakes include confusing 菖 with similar characters, such as 常 (cháng), which means 'often.' This character is more commonly used in formal contexts, particularly in herbal medicine discussions. Remember to use the correct tones when saying 'chāng' to avoid misunderstandings.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 菖 (chāng) with 常 (cháng), which means 'often.' A common error is saying '常蒲' instead of '菖蒲' when referring to the sweet flag. Make sure to remember the correct character in context.

Write 菖

菖

Practice writing 菖 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 菖

Words Containing This Character2
菖蒲Acorus calamus
菖chāngAcorus calamus
Exercise 1 of 2

Compound Meaning

What does 菖蒲 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 菖

It translates to 'iris' or 'sweet flag,' a type of plant used in traditional medicine.

Jason Recommends

Not sure what to learn after 菖?

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.