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薯 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
薯shǔyam, tuber, potatozg, 16 strokes, radical 艹, rank #7309, Hard
shǔ(shu3) T3
  1. 1yam, tuber, potato
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026
薯shǔ(shu3)

薯 (shǔ) refers to root vegetables such as yams or potatoes, commonly used in various Chinese dishes. It is often found in contexts involving food preparation or gardening. The character can denote several types of tubers, highlighting its importance in Chinese cuisine.

Strokes16Radical艹Frequency#7309DifficultyHard
Cultural Note

In China, sweet potatoes (红薯, hóngshǔ) and yams are staple foods, especially during autumn and winter, often featured in traditional dishes and street food.

Memory Tip

Imagine a 'shoo' (shǔ) of delicious yams dancing in a garden. The radical 艹 (cǎo) on top hints at its plant origin, while the bottom component resembles a 'root' anchoring the tuber firmly in the ground.

Meanings of 薯

shǔ(shu3)
1yam, tuber, potato
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 薯

薯Simplified
16Strokes
艹Radical
状态词stative word (stat.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 薯

JasonAmy

Podcast: 薯

Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you

AI Study Notes for 薯

Quick Contrast

地瓜 (dìguā) - use 薯 when referring to a broader category of root vegetables, while 地瓜 specifically denotes sweet potatoes.

Memory Mnemonic

Imagine a 'shoo' (shǔ) of delicious yams dancing in a garden. The radical 艹 (cǎo) on top hints at its plant origin, while the bottom component resembles a 'root' anchoring the tuber firmly in the ground.

Usage Notes

薯 is often used in combination with other characters, such as 土豆 (tǔdòu) for potato. Be cautious with tones; mispronouncing shǔ as shù (树, tree) can lead to misunderstandings. It's generally informal, suitable for cooking contexts.

HSK Study Tips

As students progress, they should connect 薯 with other food-related vocabulary at HSK Level 2, such as 米 (mǐ, rice) and 面 (miàn, noodles). Focus on pronunciation and context to enhance their culinary vocabulary.

Cultural Note

In China, sweet potatoes (红薯, hóngshǔ) and yams are staple foods, especially during autumn and winter, often featured in traditional dishes and street food.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 薯 with other vegetable-related words, such as 菜 (cài, vegetable). For example, saying '我喜欢薯' (I like shǔ) without context may sound odd; it's better to specify what type of tuber you like.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 薯

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Etymology of 薯

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

plant

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

Character Formation Type

What type of character formation is 薯?

Decomposition of 薯

IDS Structure⿱艹署
薯Full Character
=
艹cao3
top
署shu3
bottom
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 薯?

Write 薯

薯

Practice writing 薯 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 薯

薯 carries one core meaning. Below you'll find the patterns that show how it combines with other words, plus example sentences pulled directly from native usage.

Exercise 1 of 4

Complete the Sentence

马铃____仍然是最受欢迎的食物，其次是白面包。

Potatoes are still the most popular food, followed by white bread.

Example Sentences for 薯 (10)

Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
马铃薯仍然是最受欢迎的食物，其次是白面包。

mǎ líng shǔ réng rán shì zuì shòu huān yíng de shí wù， ， qí cì shì bái miàn。

Potatoes are still the most popular food, followed by white bread.
2
现在专家们都在赞美其貌不扬的马铃薯的种种好处。

xiàn zài zhuān jiā mén dū zài zàn měi qí mào bù yáng de mǎ líng shǔ de zhǒng zhǒng hǎo chǔ。

Now experts are extolling the virtues of the humble potato.
3
另点的一份炸薯条

lìng diǎn de yī fèn zhà shǔ tiáo

a side order of fries
4
不要把薯片和巧克力当零食来吃，要吃些芹菜和胡萝卜。

bù yào bǎ shǔ piàn hé qiǎo kè lì dāng líng shí lái chī， ， yào chī xiē qín cài hé hú luó。

Instead of snacking on crisps and chocolate, nibble on celery or carrot.
5
我去买了大约6美元的薯条。

wǒ qù mǎi le dà yuē6 6 měi yuán de shǔ。

I went and bought about six dollars' worth of potato chips.
6
他已经储备了近1吨马铃薯。

tā yǐ jīng chǔ bèi le jìn1 1 dūn mǎ líng。

He'sstored away nearly one ton of potatoes.
7
我们吃了只百宝鸡, 还有园子里种的新鲜马铃薯.

wǒ mén chī le zhī bǎi bǎo jī, , huán yǒu yuán zǐ lǐ zhǒng de xīn xiān mǎ líng.

We had a chicken and stuffing, and new potatoes from the garden.
8
我们每晚吃炸薯条，但几乎从不吃鱼。

wǒ mén měi wǎn chī zhà shǔ tiáo， ， dàn jī hū cóng bù chī。

We ate chips every night, but hardly ever had fish.
9
在冒热气的马铃薯上放一小块黄油。

zài mào rè qì de mǎ líng shǔ shàng fàng yī xiǎo kuài huáng yóu。

Top the steaming hot potatoes with a knob of butter.
10
他们喷撒杀虫剂给马铃薯除虫.

tā mén pēn sā shā chóng jì gěi mǎ líng shǔ chú chóng.

They sprinkled pesticide to bug the potatoes.

Cultural Notes for 薯

🏮Cultural insight

In China, sweet potatoes (红薯, hóngshǔ) and yams are staple foods, especially during autumn and winter, often featured in traditional dishes and street food.

Word Family of 薯

Words Containing This Character11
薯shǔyam
薯条shǔtiáofrench fries薯條
马铃薯potato馬鈴薯
红薯hóngshǔsweet potato紅薯
番薯yam
木薯cassava, a tropical tuber plant
甘薯sweet potato
白薯sweet potato
炸薯条french fries炸薯條
薯蓣Chinese yam (Dioscorea opposita)薯蕷
豆薯yam bean (Pachyrhizus erosus), a vine with sweet edible root
Exercise 1 of 4

Compound Meaning

What does 薯 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 薯

Common dishes include sweet potato porridge and stir-fried yam with vegetables.