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蒡 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
bànggreat burdock; Arctium lappax, 13 strokes, radical 艹, Very Hard
bàng(bang4) T4
  1. 1great burdock; Arctium lappa
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March 24, 2026

bàng(bang4)

蒡 (bàng) refers to the great burdock, a plant known for its large leaves and edible roots, commonly used in traditional Chinese medicine and cuisine. It is often associated with health benefits and is utilized in various dishes, particularly in East Asian cooking. The character embodies the essence of the plant and its significance in herbal remedies.

Strokes13RadicalFrequency#—DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, great burdock is celebrated for its health benefits and is often included in dishes during the winter months to boost immunity. It is commonly featured in traditional dishes like stir-fries and soups.

Memory Tip

Picture a large, green leaf (the radical for plant) with a big 'bang' sound as it falls to the ground, symbolizing the great burdock's size and presence. The pronunciation 'bàng' sounds like 'bang,' which you can associate with the noise of something large hitting the ground.

Meanings of 蒡

bàng(bang4)
1great burdock; Arctium lappa
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

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About 蒡

Simplified
13Strokes
Radical
非语素字non-morpheme character (n-m.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 蒡

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AI Study Notes for 蒡

Memory Mnemonic

Picture a large, green leaf (the radical for plant) with a big 'bang' sound as it falls to the ground, symbolizing the great burdock's size and presence. The pronunciation 'bàng' sounds like 'bang,' which you can associate with the noise of something large hitting the ground.

Usage Notes

蒡 is used primarily in culinary and medicinal contexts. A common mistake is to confuse it with similar-sounding words or characters, which can lead to incorrect usage in a sentence. It is generally used in a more formal setting when discussing herbal medicine or cooking.

HSK Study Tips

While 蒡 is not part of the HSK vocabulary, it connects to other food-related terms and plants you may encounter at higher levels. Focus on understanding its uses in herbal contexts, as this can enhance vocabulary related to health and nutrition.

Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, great burdock is celebrated for its health benefits and is often included in dishes during the winter months to boost immunity. It is commonly featured in traditional dishes like stir-fries and soups.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 蒡 with other similar plant names, mistakenly using it in contexts unrelated to food or medicine. For example, using it in a sentence discussing animals instead of plants would be incorrect.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 蒡

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Etymology of 蒡

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

plant

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

Character Formation Type

What type of character formation is 蒡?

Decomposition of 蒡

IDS Structure⿱艹旁
Full Character
=
cao3
top
pang2
bottom
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 蒡?

Write 蒡

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

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Cultural Notes for 蒡

🏮Cultural insight

In Chinese culture, great burdock is celebrated for its health benefits and is often included in dishes during the winter months to boost immunity. It is commonly featured in traditional dishes like stir-fries and soups.

Word Family of 蒡

Words Containing This Character2
牛蒡burdock
bàngArctium lappa
Exercise 1 of 2

Compound Meaning

What does 牛蒡 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 蒡

蒡 is valued for its nutritional properties and is often used in dishes for its health benefits.