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藤 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
Hanzi
Pinyin
English
Tags
藤
téng
ivy, creeper
nr, 18 strokes, radical 艹, rank #10403, Very Hard
藤
téng
cane
unknown, 18 strokes, radical 艹, rank #10403, Very Hard
藤
téng
vine
unknown, 18 strokes, radical 艹, rank #10403, Very Hard
téng(teng2)teng T2
1ivy, creeper
2cane
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March 24, 2026
藤(籐)téng(teng2)
The character 藤 (téng) refers to a type of climbing plant, such as ivy or vines, that grows by wrapping around supports. It is commonly used in gardening and botany contexts. Additionally, it can denote materials made from such plants, like cane or rattan, used in crafts and furniture.
Strokes18Radical艹Frequency#10403DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural note
In traditional Chinese culture, rattan (藤) has been used for centuries to create furniture and handicrafts, reflecting the importance of natural materials in daily life. The flexibility and strength of these vines symbolize resilience and adaptability.
Memory tip
Imagine a strong vine (藤) that climbs up a wall, wrapping around it tightly. The sound 'téng' resembles the action of 'tangling' as these vines intertwine with each other. Visualizing a lush green creeper can help you remember both the meaning and pronunciation.
Meanings of 藤
téng(teng2)
1ivy, creeper
2cane
Exercise 1 of 2
By ear
Play it, then pick what 藤 means.
About 藤
藤Simplified
籐Traditional
18Strokes
艹Radical
人名míngcíproper noun (pr.n.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank
Podcast: 藤
Podcast: 藤
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AI study notes for 藤
Quick Contrast
藤 (téng) vs 爬藤 (pá téng) — 藤 refers to the plant itself, while 爬藤 specifically emphasizes the climbing action or behavior of the plant.
Usage Notes
Be careful not to confuse 藤 with similar-sounding characters that have different meanings. This word is typically used in more formal contexts when discussing plants. Common collocations include 藤蔓 (téngmàn) for 'creeping vine' and 藤椅 (téngyǐ) for 'rattan chair'.
HSK Study Tips
While 藤 is not an HSK vocabulary word, it connects to the HSK Level 3 theme of nature and plants. Students should focus on identifying it in texts about flora and practicing its pronunciation. Understanding related terms like vine (藤蔓) will enhance vocabulary.
Common Mistakes
Learners often confuse 藤 with its alternative pronunciation teng2, which is less common in modern usage. Additionally, it may be mistakenly used in contexts unrelated to plants, such as in discussions of trees or shrubs.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 藤
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Learning Lab
Knowing 藤 is seven skills, not one.
Its meaning, its character, its pinyin, its tone — hearing it, saying it, writing it. The Learning Lab measures each one from your own practice, on every word you study, so you see what you actually know rather than how much you have done.
藤 = 艹 + 滕. What kind of character does that make it?
Decomposition of 藤
IDS Structure⿱艹滕
藤Full character
=
艹cao3
top
滕Teng2
bottom
Exercise 1 of 2
Parts
Which of these is part of 藤?
How to say ivy, creeper in Chinese
“ivy, creeper” in Chinese is藤téng
The character 藤 (téng) refers to a type of climbing plant, such as ivy or vines, that grows by wrapping around supports. It is commonly used in gardening and botany contexts. Additionally, it can denote materials made from such plants, like cane or rattan, used in crafts and furniture.
When to use 藤
Be careful not to confuse 藤 with similar-sounding characters that have different meanings. This word is typically used in more formal contexts when discussing plants. Common collocations include 藤蔓 (téngmàn) for 'creeping vine' and 藤椅 (téngyǐ) for 'rattan chair'.
藤 or something close to it
藤 (téng) vs 爬藤 (pá téng) — 藤 refers to the plant itself, while 爬藤 specifically emphasizes the climbing action or behavior of the plant.
What learners get wrong
Learners often confuse 藤 with its alternative pronunciation teng2, which is less common in modern usage. Additionally, it may be mistakenly used in contexts unrelated to plants, such as in discussions of trees or shrubs.
Write 藤
藤
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Practice writing 藤 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
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Grammar patterns of 藤
藤 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). It carries 3 related meanings, each with its own usage notes below. The example sentences below show it in action, with practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) on every line.
Exercise 1 of 4
Fill the gap
Type the missing word. Pinyin works; then pick the character.
这张图片中的铁艺____椅要价125英镑。
The rattan and wrought-iron chair pictured here costs £
