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蘋 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
蘋píngapple; duckweed, Artemisiazg, 20 strokes, radical 艹
píng(ping2)ping T2
  1. 1apple; duckweed, Artemisia
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March 24, 2026

蘋píng(ping2)

The character 蘋 (píng) primarily means 'apple' and can also refer to 'duckweed' or the plant Artemisia. In everyday usage, it is most commonly associated with the fruit, which is a staple in many diets and a symbol of health in Chinese culture.

Strokes20Radical艹
Cultural note

In Chinese culture, apples symbolize peace and safety, often given as gifts during festivals and significant occasions. This makes 蘋 an important character in contexts celebrating harmony and good fortune.

Memory tip

Imagine a 'ping' sound as you bite into a crisp apple, with the character 蘋 resembling an apple tree with leaves (the radical 艹) growing above it. Picture the apple falling and splashing into a pond of duckweed, linking the sound 'píng' with both meanings.

Meanings of 蘋

píng(ping2)
1apple; duckweed, Artemisia
Exercise 1 of 2

By ear

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About 蘋

蘋Simplified
20Strokes
艹Radical
状态词stative word (stat.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 蘋

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Podcast: 蘋

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AI study notes for 蘋

Usage Notes

Be careful to use 蘋 specifically in contexts related to apples, as it is less commonly used than the more general term 苹果 (píngguǒ) for apple. Avoid confusing it with other similar-sounding words, and remember that it is more formal and less frequently used in casual conversations.

HSK Study Tips

Although 蘋 is not part of the standard HSK vocabulary, it can be connected to the HSK 1 word 苹果 (píngguǒ). Students should focus on pronunciation and writing the character, as it builds on the understanding of food-related vocabulary.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 蘋 with 苹果 (píngguǒ) when talking about apples in casual settings, leading to awkward phrasing. Instead, use 苹果 for everyday contexts and reserve 蘋 for more formal or literary references.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 蘋

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Etymology of 蘋

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

Phonosemantic compound. 艹 represents the meaning and 平 represents the sound. Simplified form of 蘋.

Memory hint

plant

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

Origin

蘋 = 艹 + 頻. What kind of character does that make it?

Decomposition of 蘋

IDS Structure⿱艹頻
蘋Full character
=
艹cao3
top
頻pin2
bottom
Exercise 1 of 2

Parts

Which of these is part of 蘋?

How to say apple; duckweed, Artemisia in Chinese

“apple; duckweed, Artemisia” in Chinese is蘋píng

The character 蘋 (píng) primarily means 'apple' and can also refer to 'duckweed' or the plant Artemisia. In everyday usage, it is most commonly associated with the fruit, which is a staple in many diets and a symbol of health in Chinese culture.

When to use 蘋

Be careful to use 蘋 specifically in contexts related to apples, as it is less commonly used than the more general term 苹果 (píngguǒ) for apple. Avoid confusing it with other similar-sounding words, and remember that it is more formal and less frequently used in casual conversations.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 蘋 with 苹果 (píngguǒ) when talking about apples in casual settings, leading to awkward phrasing. Instead, use 苹果 for everyday contexts and reserve 蘋 for more formal or literary references.

Write 蘋

蘋

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

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Word Family of 蘋

Words containing this character4
苹果píngguǒapple蘋果
苹pínduckweed
苹果酱apple sauce蘋果醬
苹果蠹蛾codling moth蘋果蠹蛾
Exercise 1 of 4

Words with 蘋

What does 苹果 mean?

Frequently asked questions about 蘋

蘋 (píng) refers specifically to the apple fruit, while 苹果 (píngguǒ) is the common term for apple, often used in everyday conversation.

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