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蔗 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
蔗zhèsugar canen, 14 strokes, radical 艹, rank #76505, Very Hard
zhè(zhe4) T4
  1. 1sugar cane
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026
蔗zhè(zhe4)

蔗 (zhè) refers specifically to sugar cane, a tall grass cultivated for its stalks that are rich in sucrose. This plant is not only significant in agriculture but also plays a vital role in the production of sugar and various by-products used in cooking and beverages.

Strokes14Radical艹Frequency#76505DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, sugar cane is often associated with traditional practices such as making sugar or sweet drinks, especially in southern regions where it is commonly grown. It is also a significant crop during the harvest festivals.

Memory Tip

Imagine a tall piece of sugar cane resembling a giant green straw. The character 蔗 has the radical 艹 (cǎo) which represents grass or plants, indicating its agricultural nature. Picture the 'zhè' sound as you sip sweet juice through this straw, connecting the pronunciation to the sweetness of sugar cane.

Meanings of 蔗

zhè(zhe4)
1sugar cane
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 蔗

蔗Simplified
14Strokes
艹Radical
名词míngcínoun (n.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 蔗

JasonAmy

Podcast: 蔗

Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you

AI Study Notes for 蔗

Quick Contrast

甘蔗 (gānzhè, sweet sugar cane) vs 蔗 (zhè, sugar cane) — use 甘蔗 when emphasizing the sweetness of the sugar cane.

Memory Mnemonic

Imagine a tall piece of sugar cane resembling a giant green straw. The character 蔗 has the radical 艹 (cǎo) which represents grass or plants, indicating its agricultural nature. Picture the 'zhè' sound as you sip sweet juice through this straw, connecting the pronunciation to the sweetness of sugar cane.

Usage Notes

When using 蔗, be careful not to confuse it with similar-sounding words like 这 (zhè, meaning 'this'). It is primarily used in agricultural contexts or when discussing food products, so maintain a formal tone when necessary. Common collocations include 蔗糖 (zhè táng, meaning 'sugar from sugar cane').

HSK Study Tips

While 蔗 is not included in the HSK vocabulary lists, it connects to HSK Level 3 topics related to food and agriculture. Students should focus on understanding its agricultural context and how it relates to other food-related vocabulary.

Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, sugar cane is often associated with traditional practices such as making sugar or sweet drinks, especially in southern regions where it is commonly grown. It is also a significant crop during the harvest festivals.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 蔗 with 这 (zhè), which means 'this'. For example, saying '这是蔗' (zhè shì zhè) instead of '这是蔗' (zhè shì zhè) can lead to confusion. Always remember that 蔗 specifically refers to sugar cane.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 蔗

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Etymology of 蔗

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

Phonosemantic compound. 艹 represents the meaning and 庶 represents the sound.

Memory Hint

plant

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

Character Formation Type

What type of character formation is 蔗?

Decomposition of 蔗

IDS Structure⿱艹庶
蔗Full Character
=
艹cao3
top
庶shu4
bottom
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 蔗?

Write 蔗

蔗

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

Write correctly 3 times to earn XP

Grammar Patterns of 蔗

蔗 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.

Exercise 1 of 4

Complete the Sentence

他把甘____截成几节.

He cut the sugarcane into several pieces.

Example Sentences for 蔗 (5)

Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
他把甘蔗截成几节.

tā bǎ gān zhè jié chéng jī jié.

He cut the sugarcane into several pieces.
2
甘蔗吃起来很甜.

gān zhè chī qǐ lái hěn tián.

Sugar canes eat sweet.
3
商业用蔗糖有两个主要来源 —— 甜甘蔗和制糖甜菜.

shāng yè yòng zhè táng yǒu liǎng gè zhǔ yào lái yuán—— —— tián gān zhè hé zhì táng tián.

There are two principal sources of commercial sucrose - sugar cane and sugar beets.
4
她那矮老公还在吸他的雪茄,喝他的蔗酒,睬也不睬她.

tā nà ǎi lǎo gōng huán zài xī tā de xuě qié, , hē tā de zhè, jiǔ , cǎi yě bù.

Her dwarfish spouse still smoked his cigar and drank his rum without heeding her.
5
加糖的醋是从甘蔗和松木中精炼出来的。

jiā táng de cù shì cóng gān zhè hé sōng mù zhōng jīng liàn chū lái de。

The sugared vinegar is refined from the sugarcane and pine.
Exercise 1 of 1

Reorder the Sentence

He cut the sugarcane into several pieces.

Tap tokens to build the sentence

Cultural Notes for 蔗

🏮Cultural insight

In Chinese culture, sugar cane is often associated with traditional practices such as making sugar or sweet drinks, especially in southern regions where it is commonly grown. It is also a significant crop during the harvest festivals.

Word Family of 蔗

Words Containing This Character5
甘蔗sugar cane
蔗糖cane sugar
蔗zhèsugar cane
蔗农sugar cane farmer蔗農
蔗渣bagasse (sugar cane waste)
Exercise 1 of 4

Compound Meaning

What does 甘蔗 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 蔗

It is pronounced as 'zhè', with a falling tone.