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March 24, 2026
海hǎi(hai3)
The character 海 (hǎi) primarily means 'sea' or 'ocean.' It is commonly used in contexts related to water bodies, maritime activities, and geography. Additionally, it can denote a vast number of items or people, especially in dialectical usage, emphasizing abundance.
Strokes10Radical氵Frequency#1546DifficultyMedium
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, the sea (海) symbolizes vastness and mystery, often featured in poetry and literature. The importance of maritime trade in historical contexts has made this character significant in Chinese history.
Memory Tip
Imagine a great 'hi' (hǎi) coming from a sailor who just spotted the vast ocean (海). The character has the water radical (氵), which connects to its meaning of 'sea,' making it easier to remember its watery essence.
Meanings of 海
hǎi(hai3)
1ocean
2sea
Exercise 1 of 2
By ear
Play it, then pick what 海 means.
About 海
海Simplified
10Strokes
氵Radical
名词míngcínoun (n.)Part of Speech
#1546Frequency Rank
HSK 3.0L3ElementaryTOCFLL2YCTL3HSKKL1CEFRA1
Podcast: 海
Podcast: 海
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AI Study Notes for 海
Quick Contrast
海 (hǎi, sea) vs 津 (jīn, ferry or port) — use 海 when referring to large bodies of saltwater, while 津 refers specifically to places where boats dock.
Usage Notes
Learners often confuse 海 with other water-related terms like 河 (hé, river). It is used in both formal and informal settings, but be mindful of its collocations, such as 海洋 (hǎiyáng, ocean) or 海边 (hǎibiān, seaside). The third tone (hǎi) can sometimes be mispronounced as a second tone.
HSK Study Tips
海 is not classified under the HSK levels, but it is essential for beginners since it connects to basic geography and environment vocabulary. Students should focus on its usage in phrases related to nature and oceanic terms.
Common Mistakes
Learners sometimes confuse 海 with other characters due to similar pronunciation. For example, saying 海 (hǎi) instead of 还 (hái, meaning 'still' or 'also') can lead to misunderstandings. Always remember the context of water for 海.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 海
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How Well Do You Know 海?
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Knowing 海 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.
海 = 氵 + 每. What kind of character does that make it?
Decomposition of 海
IDS Structure⿰氵每
海Full Character
=
氵shui3
left
每mei3
right
Exercise 1 of 2
Parts
Which of these is part of 海?
How to say ocean in Chinese
“ocean” in Chinese is海hǎi
The character 海 (hǎi) primarily means 'sea' or 'ocean.' It is commonly used in contexts related to water bodies, maritime activities, and geography. Additionally, it can denote a vast number of items or people, especially in dialectical usage, emphasizing abundance.
When to use 海
Learners often confuse 海 with other water-related terms like 河 (hé, river). It is used in both formal and informal settings, but be mindful of its collocations, such as 海洋 (hǎiyáng, ocean) or 海边 (hǎibiān, seaside). The third tone (hǎi) can sometimes be mispronounced as a second tone.
海 or something close to it
海 (hǎi, sea) vs 津 (jīn, ferry or port) — use 海 when referring to large bodies of saltwater, while 津 refers specifically to places where boats dock.
What learners get wrong
Learners sometimes confuse 海 with other characters due to similar pronunciation. For example, saying 海 (hǎi) instead of 还 (hái, meaning 'still' or 'also') can lead to misunderstandings. Always remember the context of water for 海.
Write 海
海
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Practice writing 海 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
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Grammar Patterns of 海
海 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 6 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.
Helen is also 25 and from Birmingham, but the similarity ends there.
8
海沃德艺术展是由艺术家伯纳德·吕蒂组织的。
hǎi wò dé yì shù zhǎn shì yóu yì shù jiā bó nà dé· · lǚ dì zǔ zhī。
The Hayward exhibition has been curated by the artist Bernard Luthi.
9
浅海床提供了丰富的食物。
qiǎn hǎi chuáng tí gōng le fēng fù de shí wù。
The shallow sea bed yields up an abundance of food.
10
煦暖的气候将比目鱼引到了近海。
xù nuǎn de qì hòu jiāng bǐ mù yú yǐn dào le jìn hǎi。
Warm weather has attracted the flat fish close to shore.
11
这位航海家的名誉受到了历史修正主义者的攻击。
zhè wèi háng hǎi jiā de míng yù shòu dào le lì shǐ xiū zhèng zhǔ yì zhě de gōng jī。
The reputation of the navigator is under assault from historical revisionists.
12
在他的脑海中这一想法变得越来越宏大。
zài tā de nǎo hǎi zhōng zhè yī xiǎng fǎ biàn dé yuè lái yuè hóng dà。
The glory of the idea blossomed in his mind.
13
他在北海学会了潜水员这一行的本事。
tā zài běi hǎi xué huì le qián shuǐ yuán zhè yī háng de běn shì。
He learnt his trade as a diver in the North Sea.
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Cultural Notes for 海
💡Did you know?
In China, the sea is often seen as a symbol of vastness and mystery. The famous 'East China Sea' is known for its rich marine life and beautiful landscapes, making it a popular destination for tourists and locals alike.
Word Family of 海
Compounds2
嗨hai1oh alas
塰
Words Containing This Character20
上海Shanghai municipality, central east China, abbr. to 滬|沪[Hù]
海hǎiocean
海军hǎijūnnavy海軍
海滩hǎitānbeach海灘
海盗hǎidàopirate海盜
海岸hǎi’àncoastal
海洋hǎiyángocean
大海dàhǎisea
脑海nǎohǎithe mind腦海
海上maritime
海边hǎibiāncoast海邊
海洛因heroin (loanword)
海报hǎibàoposter海報
海底hǎidǐseabed
海伦Helen or Hélène (name)海倫
上海市Shanghai municipality in southeast China, abbr. 滬|沪
Common phrases with 海 include '海水' (hǎishuǐ), meaning 'sea water,' and '海滩' (hǎitān), which means 'beach.' These phrases are useful when discussing travel, nature, or leisure activities related to the sea.
Yes, 海 (Hǎi) can also be a surname in Chinese. It is less common than other surnames but is still used by some families. When referred to as a surname, it is pronounced with a third tone, just like the character's meaning related to 'sea.'
海 (hǎi) means 'sea' or 'ocean' in Chinese. It is commonly used to refer to large bodies of water and can also imply a great number of people or things in certain contexts. The character is used frequently in everyday language, especially in phrases related to water.
To use 海 in a sentence, you can say '海很美' (hǎi hěn měi), which means 'The sea is beautiful.' You can also use it in expressions like '海洋' (hǎiyáng), meaning 'ocean,' or '海边' (hǎibiān), meaning 'seaside.'
海 refers specifically to 'sea' or 'ocean,' while 津 generally means 'ferry' or 'crossing' and is not directly related to the concept of large bodies of water.
No, 海 specifically refers to seas and oceans. For rivers or lakes, you would use 河 (hé) or 湖 (hú) respectively.
It is pronounced as hǎi, with the third tone. Practice saying it with a falling-rising intonation.
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