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蕒 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
蕒mǎiendive; sow-thistlex, 16 strokes, radical 艹
mǎi(mai3) T3
  1. 1endive; sow-thistle
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

蕒mǎi(mai3)

The character 蕒 (mǎi) refers to a type of leafy vegetable known as endive or sow-thistle, often used in salads and traditional Chinese dishes. It is not a commonly used term in everyday conversation but may appear in culinary contexts or discussions about gardening and agriculture.

Strokes16Radical艹
Cultural Note

In Chinese cuisine, various types of leafy vegetables, including endive, are celebrated for their health benefits and are often featured in traditional dishes. Understanding this character can enhance your appreciation of regional dishes.

Memory Tip

Imagine a green leafy plant (the shape of 蕒) with the sound 'mǎi' resembling someone saying 'buy' a salad. Visualize a market where you buy fresh endive, linking the character's form to its meaning.

Meanings of 蕒

mǎi(mai3)
1endive; sow-thistle
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 蕒

蕒Simplified
16Strokes
艹Radical
非语素字non-morpheme character (n-m.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 蕒

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Podcast: 蕒

Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you

AI Study Notes for 蕒

Usage Notes

This character is not frequently used in spoken Mandarin, making it easy to overlook. It is more common in written texts related to botany or cooking. Be cautious with the pronunciation to avoid confusion with similar-sounding characters.

HSK Study Tips

While 蕒 is not part of the HSK vocabulary, it connects to topics on food and plants, which are relevant for learners at higher levels. Focus on recognizing this character in specific contexts rather than using it actively.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 蕒 with similar characters due to its uncommon usage. Be careful not to mix it with 菜 (cài), which means vegetable more broadly. For example, saying '我喜欢蕒' (wǒ xǐhuān mǎi) instead of '我喜欢菜' (wǒ xǐhuān cài) when referring to liking vegetables.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 蕒

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Etymology of 蕒

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

plant

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

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 蕒

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

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

Want the full history of 蕒? 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 蕒?

Decomposition of 蕒

IDS Structure⿱艹買
蕒Full Character
=
艹cao3
top
買mai3
bottom
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 蕒?

How to say endive; sow-thistle in Chinese

“endive; sow-thistle” in Chinese is蕒mǎi

The character 蕒 (mǎi) refers to a type of leafy vegetable known as endive or sow-thistle, often used in salads and traditional Chinese dishes. It is not a commonly used term in everyday conversation but may appear in culinary contexts or discussions about gardening and agriculture.

When to use 蕒

This character is not frequently used in spoken Mandarin, making it easy to overlook. It is more common in written texts related to botany or cooking. Be cautious with the pronunciation to avoid confusion with similar-sounding characters.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 蕒 with similar characters due to its uncommon usage. Be careful not to mix it with 菜 (cài), which means vegetable more broadly. For example, saying '我喜欢蕒' (wǒ xǐhuān mǎi) instead of '我喜欢菜' (wǒ xǐhuān cài) when referring to liking vegetables.

Write 蕒

蕒

Practice writing 蕒 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 蕒

Words Containing This Character1
荬mǎiendive蕒
Exercise 1 of 1

Compound Meaning

What does 荬 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 蕒

It is rarely used in daily conversation; more common in culinary or agricultural contexts.

Jason Recommends

Not sure what to learn after 蕒?

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.