Meanings of 萍
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Podcast: 萍
Podcast: 萍
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AI Study Notes for 萍
Imagine a small duckweed plant (萍) floating on a pond, bobbing gently with the water's movement. The character looks like a plant with two leaves (艹) sitting on a watery surface (平), reminding you of its connection to nature. The pronunciation 'píng' rhymes with 'ping', as in the sound of a duckweed leaf hitting the water.
When using 萍, be careful not to confuse it with similar-sounding characters like 平 (píng, flat). It's typically used in literary or poetic contexts, so it may not be appropriate in everyday conversation. Common collocations include 萍水相逢 (píng shuǐ xiāng féng), meaning 'to meet by chance'.
Although 萍 is not in the HSK vocabulary lists, it connects to HSK Level 3 words like 水 (shuǐ, water) and 平 (píng, flat) as they relate to nature and states of being. Focus on understanding its poetic connotation and how it can be used to express ideas of movement and transience.
In Chinese poetry, duckweed (萍) often symbolizes fleeting moments and the beauty of impermanence, reflecting the philosophy of living in the moment. This resonates with traditional Chinese values that appreciate the transient beauty of nature.
Learners often confuse 萍 with 平 (píng), which means 'flat'. For example, saying '我喜欢平水' (wǒ xǐhuān píng shuǐ, 'I like flat water') instead of '我喜欢萍水' (wǒ xǐhuān píng shuǐ, 'I like duckweed on water') can lead to misunderstandings.
Pronunciation of 萍
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Etymology of 萍
grass
Character Formation Type
What type of character formation is 萍?
Decomposition of 萍
Identify the Components
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Write 萍
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Practice writing 萍 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
Grammar Patterns of 萍
萍 functions as a noun — it names a person, place, thing, or concept. Place it as a subject before the verb (主+谓) or as an object after the verb (谓+宾). Most Chinese nouns require a measure word between the number and the noun (e.g. 一个/三本). The example sentences below show it in action, with practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) on every line.
Complete the Sentence
1962年, 薛亚____经陈少霖引荐拜张君秋大师.
In 1962, Yaping introduced by Chen Shaolin Master Zhang Junqiu al.
Example Sentences for 萍 (1)
Cultural Notes for 萍
In Chinese poetry, duckweed (萍) often symbolizes fleeting moments and the beauty of impermanence, reflecting the philosophy of living in the moment. This resonates with traditional Chinese values that appreciate the transient beauty of nature.
Word Family of 萍
Compound Meaning
What does 萍 mean?
Frequently Asked Questions about 萍
It literally means 'duckweed', a small floating plant found on water surfaces.
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