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萋 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
萋qīluxuriant foliagex, 11 strokes, radical 艹
萋qīCelosia argenteaunknown, 11 strokes, radical 艹
萋qīluxuriantunknown, 11 strokes, radical 艹
qī(qi1)qi T1
  1. 1luxuriant foliage
  2. 2Celosia argentea
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March 24, 2026

萋qī(qi1)

The character 萋 (qī) refers to luxuriant foliage, often symbolizing lush growth and vitality in nature. It can also specifically denote the plant Celosia argentea, known for its vibrant flowers. This character is commonly used in literary contexts to evoke imagery of flourishing greenery.

Strokes11Radical艹
Cultural Note

In Chinese poetry, lush greenery is often associated with beauty, tranquility, and the passage of time, making 萋 a meaningful character in expressing these themes. It reflects the Chinese appreciation for nature, particularly in literary forms.

Memory Tip

Imagine a lush green field full of beautiful flowers, where the '木' (tree radical) stands tall, representing growth and life. The sound 'qī' can be remembered by picturing a cheerful 'key' that unlocks the beauty of nature's foliage.

Meanings of 萋

qī(qi1)
1luxuriant foliage
2Celosia argentea
Exercise 1 of 2

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About 萋

萋Simplified
11Strokes
艹Radical
非语素字non-morpheme character (n-m.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 萋

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Podcast: 萋

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AI Study Notes for 萋

Usage Notes

While 萋 is not commonly used in everyday conversation, it often appears in poetry and literature. Learners should be cautious not to confuse it with similar-sounding words or characters that have different meanings. It is generally more formal and poetic in usage.

HSK Study Tips

Although 萋 is not included in HSK levels, it can be linked to HSK 5 vocabulary related to nature and plants. Focus on recognizing its literary context and connecting it to other words that describe natural beauty, such as 花 (huā) for flower and 草 (cǎo) for grass.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 萋 with similar characters like 齐 (qí), which means 'even' or 'uniform.' A common mistake is using 萋 in a casual context, where a simpler term like '绿' (lǜ) for 'green' would be more appropriate.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 萋

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Etymology of 萋

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

grass

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

Origin

萋 = 艹 + 妻. What kind of character does that make it?

Decomposition of 萋

IDS Structure⿱艹妻
萋Full Character
=
艹cao3
top
妻qi1
bottom
Exercise 1 of 2

Parts

Which of these is part of 萋?

How to say luxuriant foliage in Chinese

“luxuriant foliage” in Chinese is萋qī

The character 萋 (qī) refers to luxuriant foliage, often symbolizing lush growth and vitality in nature. It can also specifically denote the plant Celosia argentea, known for its vibrant flowers. This character is commonly used in literary contexts to evoke imagery of flourishing greenery.

When to use 萋

While 萋 is not commonly used in everyday conversation, it often appears in poetry and literature. Learners should be cautious not to confuse it with similar-sounding words or characters that have different meanings. It is generally more formal and poetic in usage.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 萋 with similar characters like 齐 (qí), which means 'even' or 'uniform.' A common mistake is using 萋 in a casual context, where a simpler term like '绿' (lǜ) for 'green' would be more appropriate.

Write 萋

萋

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

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Word Family of 萋

Words Containing This Character2
萋qīluxuriant
萋萋luxuriant
Exercise 1 of 1

Words with 萋

What does 萋萋 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 萋

You can say, '春天的花草都很萋,' meaning 'The flowers and grass in spring are lush.'

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