HSK 7, n, 17 strokes, radical 雨, rank #8769, Very Hard
霜
shuāng
white powder or cream spread over a surface
HSK 7, n, 17 strokes, radical 雨, rank #8769, Very Hard
霜
shuāng
frosting
HSK 7, n, 17 strokes, radical 雨, rank #8769, Very Hard
霜
shuāng
(skin) cream
HSK 7, n, 17 strokes, radical 雨, rank #8769, Very Hard
霜
shuāng
frost; frozen, crystallized, candied
HSK 7, n, 17 strokes, radical 雨, rank #8769, Very Hard
shuāng(shuang1) T1
1frost
2white powder or cream spread over a surface
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March 24, 2026
霜shuāng(shuang1)
霜 (shuāng) refers to frost, which forms when water vapor freezes into ice crystals on surfaces. It commonly signifies a layer of white powdery substance, resembling snow, and can also relate to frostings or creams used in cooking or skincare. In a broader context, it can denote anything that appears white and powdery due to freezing or crystallization.
Strokes17Radical雨Frequency#8769DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, the first frost of the season is often associated with harvest time and is celebrated in various festivals. The appearance of 霜 signals a change in season, marking the transition from autumn to winter, which is significant in agricultural practices.
Memory Tip
Imagine a chilly morning where the ground sparkles with 'frost' (霜). The character 霜 has a radical for 'water' (氵) on the left, signaling its connection to ice, while the right part resembles a beautiful, crystallized pattern, reminiscent of frost's delicate nature. Think of 'shuang' as 'shimmering' frost that glistens under the morning sun.
Meanings of 霜
shuāng(shuang1)
1frost
2white powder or cream spread over a surface
Exercise 1 of 2
Listen & Choose the Meaning
Choose the correct answer:
About 霜
霜Simplified
17Strokes
雨Radical
名词míngcínoun (n.)Part of Speech
#8769Frequency Rank
HSK 3.0L7AdvancedCEFRC2
Podcast: 霜
Podcast: 霜
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AI Study Notes for 霜
Quick Contrast
霜 (shuāng) vs 雪 (xuě) — use 霜 when referring specifically to frost that forms on surfaces, while 雪 refers to snow that falls from the sky.
Usage Notes
Be careful not to confuse 霜 with 雪 (xuě), which means snow; while both are white and cold, 霜 refers specifically to frost. This word is typically used in a neutral register, but can appear in poetic or literary contexts when describing nature. Common collocations include 霜冻 (shuāngdòng), meaning 'frost freeze,' and 霜降 (shuāngjiàng), referring to the seasonal frost.
HSK Study Tips
霜 is not included in the HSK vocabulary lists, but it connects well with other nature-related words like 雪 (snow) and 冰 (ice). Focus on recognizing its usage in weather descriptions and poetic expressions, as well as understanding its components to enhance your character recognition skills.
Common Mistakes
Learners often confuse 霜 with 冰 (ice), using them interchangeably. For example, saying '今天天气很霜' (Today’s weather is very frost) is incorrect; instead, say '今天天气很冷' (Today’s weather is very cold) or specify '有霜' (there is frost).
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 霜
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Phonosemantic compound. 雨 represents the meaning and 相 represents the sound.
1The meaning half雨 carries the sense.
2The sound half相 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
3The giveawayrain
4On the record aspictophonetic.
Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.
Want the full history of 霜? 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 霜?
Decomposition of 霜
IDS Structure⿱雨相
霜Full Character
=
雨yu3
top
相Xiang1
bottom
Exercise 1 of 2
Identify the Components
Which of these is a component of 霜?
How to say frost in Chinese
“frost” in Chinese is霜shuāng
霜 (shuāng) refers to frost, which forms when water vapor freezes into ice crystals on surfaces. It commonly signifies a layer of white powdery substance, resembling snow, and can also relate to frostings or creams used in cooking or skincare. In a broader context, it can denote anything that appears white and powdery due to freezing or crystallization.
When to use 霜
Be careful not to confuse 霜 with 雪 (xuě), which means snow; while both are white and cold, 霜 refers specifically to frost. This word is typically used in a neutral register, but can appear in poetic or literary contexts when describing nature. Common collocations include 霜冻 (shuāngdòng), meaning 'frost freeze,' and 霜降 (shuāngjiàng), referring to the seasonal frost.
霜 or something close to it
霜 (shuāng) vs 雪 (xuě) — use 霜 when referring specifically to frost that forms on surfaces, while 雪 refers to snow that falls from the sky.
What learners get wrong
Learners often confuse 霜 with 冰 (ice), using them interchangeably. For example, saying '今天天气很霜' (Today’s weather is very frost) is incorrect; instead, say '今天天气很冷' (Today’s weather is very cold) or specify '有霜' (there is frost).
Write 霜
霜
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Practice writing 霜 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
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Grammar Patterns of 霜
霜 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 5 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
Complete the Sentence
敏感肌肤专用面____不会破坏皮肤表面的保护层。
Sensitive Cream will not strip away the skin's protective layer.
Example Sentences for 霜 (10)
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1
敏感肌肤专用面霜不会破坏皮肤表面的保护层。
mǐn gǎn jī fū zhuān yòng miàn shuāng bù huì pò huài pí fū biǎo miàn de bǎo hù céng。
Sensitive Cream will not strip away the skin's protective layer.
2
她把糖霜浇在蛋糕上面，并用刀子轻轻涂抹开。
tā bǎ táng shuāng jiāo zài dàn gāo shàng miàn， ， bìng yòng dāo zǐ qīng qīng tú mǒ。
She spread the icing over the cake, dabbing it with a knife.
