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March 24, 2026
薶mái(mai2)
The character 薶 (mái) primarily refers to the act of burying something or causing it to become dirty or soiled. It can be used in contexts relating to physical dirtiness or metaphorically, such as tarnishing someone's reputation. Note that this character is an older variant of 埋 (mái), which is more commonly used today.
Strokes18Radical艹Frequency#—DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, the concept of burying is often tied to ancestral reverence, where the burial of ancestors is a significant practice during festivals like Qingming Festival, making the act of 'burying' culturally meaningful.
Memory Tip
Imagine a pile of muddy leaves (the radical 艹 suggests plants) that you accidentally stepped on, making your shoes dirty. 'Mái' sounds like 'my,' so think of it as 'my shoes are muddy' after stepping on the buried leaves.
Meanings of 薶
mái(mai2)
primary
1sto bury; to dirty, to soil
2to make dirty
Exercise 1 of 2
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About 薶
薶Simplified
18Strokes
艹Radical
非语素字non-morpheme character (n-m.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank
Podcast: 薶
Podcast: 薶
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AI Study Notes for 薶
Memory Mnemonic
Imagine a pile of muddy leaves (the radical 艹 suggests plants) that you accidentally stepped on, making your shoes dirty. 'Mái' sounds like 'my,' so think of it as 'my shoes are muddy' after stepping on the buried leaves.
Usage Notes
Due to its rarity, 薶 may not be widely recognized in everyday conversation. Be cautious of using it in formal writing, as 埋 is the preferred term. Remember that the pronunciation is similar to 埋, which may confuse learners.
HSK Study Tips
Though 薶 is not part of the HSK vocabulary, it connects to the HSK Level 2 word 埋. Learners should focus on the more commonly used variants and their usage in everyday contexts, helping to reinforce understanding of related words.
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, the concept of burying is often tied to ancestral reverence, where the burial of ancestors is a significant practice during festivals like Qingming Festival, making the act of 'burying' culturally meaningful.
Common Mistakes
Learners may confuse 薶 with 埋 due to their similar meanings and pronunciations. For instance, using 薶 in a sentence intended for 埋, such as '我想埋这个东西' (I want to bury this thing), would be incorrect; use 埋 instead.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 薶
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Cultural Notes for 薶
🏮Cultural insight
In Chinese culture, the concept of burying is often tied to ancestral reverence, where the burial of ancestors is a significant practice during festivals like Qingming Festival, making the act of 'burying' culturally meaningful.
Word Family of 薶
Words Containing This Character1
薶máito soil
Exercise 1 of 1
Compound Meaning
What does 薶 mean?
Frequently Asked Questions about 薶
No, 薶 is considered an old variant and is rarely used today; the standard term is 埋.
While both characters involve the concept of burying, 薶 is an archaic form, whereas 埋 is the modern character used in everyday language.
Yes, it can imply tarnishing or soiling one's reputation, similar to its literal meaning.
