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霜 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
霜shuāngfrostHSK 7, n, 17 strokes, radical 雨, rank #8769, Very Hard
霜shuāngwhite powder or cream spread over a surfaceHSK 7, n, 17 strokes, radical 雨, rank #8769, Very Hard
霜shuāngfrostingHSK 7, n, 17 strokes, radical 雨, rank #8769, Very Hard
霜shuāng(skin) creamHSK 7, n, 17 strokes, radical 雨, rank #8769, Very Hard
霜shuāngfrost; frozen, crystallized, candiedHSK 7, n, 17 strokes, radical 雨, rank #8769, Very Hard
shuāng(shuang1)shuang T1
  1. 1frost
  2. 2white powder or cream spread over a surface
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
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

By ear

Play it, then pick what 霜 means.

About 霜

霜Simplified
17Strokes
雨Radical
名词míngcínoun (n.)Part of Speech
#8769Frequency Rank
HSK 3.0L7AdvancedCEFRC2

Podcast: 霜

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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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Etymology of 霜

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

Phonosemantic compound. 雨 represents the meaning and 相 represents the sound.

Memory Hint

rain

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

Origin

霜 = 雨 + 相. What kind of character does that make it?

Decomposition of 霜

IDS Structure⿱雨相
霜Full Character
=
雨yu3
top
相Xiang1
bottom
Exercise 1 of 2

Parts

Which of these is part 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

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

Fill the gap

Type the missing word. Pinyin works; then pick the character.

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)

Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
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.
3
高逃兵率更使部队雪上加霜。

gāo táo bīng shuài gēng shǐ bù duì xuě shàng jiā shuāng。

The high rate of desertion has added to the army's woes.
4
红梅傲雪凌霜开.

hóng méi ào xuě líng shuāng kāi.

Braving snow and frost , the plum trees blossomed defiantly.
5
涂抹乳霜或化妆品时动作要轻。

tú mǒ rǔ shuāng huò huà zhuāng pǐn shí dòng zuò yào qīng。

Use a light touch when applying cream or make-up.
6
有一段关于蒙娜丽莎牌润肤霜的简短广告.

yǒu yī duàn guān yú mēng nà lì suō pái rùn fū shuāng de jiǎn duǎn guǎng gào.

There was a brief ad for Mona Lisa skin lightener.
7
涂了润肤霜,我的脸一整天都红润亮泽。

tú le rùn fū shuāng, , wǒ de liǎn yī zhěng tiān dū hóng rùn liàng。

The moisturiser gave my face a healthy glow that lasted all day.
8
在这寒冷的早晨田野里覆盖着一层霜.

zài zhè hán lěng de zǎo chén tián yě lǐ fù gài zháo yī céng shuāng.

The fields have frosted over in this wintry morning.
9
他冷冷的绿眼睛好像结了一层霜.

tā lěng lěng de lǜ yǎn jīng hǎo xiàng jié le yī céng shuāng.

His cool green eyes became positively frosty.
10
一层霜覆盖了挡风玻璃.

yī céng shuāng fù gài le dǎng fēng bō lí.

A sheet of frost covers the windshield.

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Word Family of 霜

Compounds5
孀shuang1widow
礵
骦shuang1horse
灀
驦shuang1horse
Words Containing This Character19
霜shuāngfrost
雪上加霜xuěshàngjiāshuāngto make things worse in a bad situation
防晒霜suntan lotion防曬霜
砒霜white arsenic
面霜facial cream (cosmetics)
霜冻frost霜凍
风霜wind and frost風霜
冷若冰霜frigid
冰霜austerity
饱经风霜weather-beaten飽經風霜
霜降Shuangjiang or Frost Descends, 18th of the 24 solar terms 二十四節氣|二十四节气 23rd October-6th November
霜花rime
无霜期frost-free period無霜期
金鸡纳霜quinine powder金雞納霜
霜天frosty sky
早霜early frost
霜晨frosty morning
霜害frostbite
白霜hoar frost
Exercise 1 of 4

Characters with 霜

What does 孀 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 霜

霜 (frost) forms from the freezing of water vapor while 雪 (snow) consists of crystallized water falling from the sky.

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