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紫 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
Hanzi
Pinyin
English
Tags
紫
zǐ
purple
HSK 5, n, 12 strokes, radical 糸, rank #9045, Hard
紫
zǐ
violet
HSK 5, n, 12 strokes, radical 糸, rank #9045, Hard
紫
zǐ
amethyst
HSK 5, n, 12 strokes, radical 糸, rank #9045, Hard
紫
zǐ
Lithospermum erythrorhizon (flowering plant whose root provides red purple dye)
HSK 5, n, 12 strokes, radical 糸, rank #9045, Hard
紫
zǐ
Japanese: murasaki
HSK 5, n, 12 strokes, radical 糸, rank #9045, Hard
紫
zǐ
purple, violet; amethyst; surname
HSK 5, n, 12 strokes, radical 糸, rank #9045, Hard
zǐ(zi3)zi T3
1purple
2violet
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March 24, 2026
紫zǐ(zi3)
The character 紫 (zǐ) refers to the color purple or violet, often associated with nobility and luxury in Chinese culture. It can also denote specific plants like Lithospermum erythrorhizon, which is known for providing a purple dye. In various contexts, it appears in phrases relating to beauty, fashion, and aesthetics.
Strokes12Radical糸Frequency#9045DifficultyHard
Cultural note
In traditional Chinese culture, purple is often linked to royalty and spirituality, reflecting its historical significance as a color reserved for emperors and high-ranking officials. This cultural backdrop enhances its usage in literature and art.
Memory tip
Imagine a majestic purple mountain (紫) rising under a violet sky. The character resembles a mountain peak (山) with a royal crown (止) on top, symbolizing the nobility associated with the color purple.
Meanings of 紫
zǐ(zi3)
1purple
2violet
Exercise 1 of 2
By ear
Play it, then pick what 紫 means.
About 紫
紫Simplified
12Strokes
糸Radical
名形词xíngróngcíadj-noun (adj.-n.)Part of Speech
#9045Frequency Rank
HSK 2.0L5HSK 3.0L5IntermediateHSKKL3CEFRB2
Podcast: 紫
Podcast: 紫
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AI study notes for 紫
Quick Contrast
紫 (zǐ) vs 蓝 (lán) — choose 紫 when referring specifically to purple, while 蓝 denotes blue.
Usage Notes
Be careful not to confuse 紫 with other colors like 蓝 (blue) or 红 (red). While it can be used in both formal and informal contexts, it's more common in discussions about art, fashion, or nature. Remember to pronounce it with the third tone (zǐ) to avoid misunderstandings.
HSK Study Tips
As an HSK Level 5 word, 紫 connects to other color-related vocabulary and adjectives. Students should focus on the tonal pronunciation and usage in descriptive phrases, as well as practice combining it with other words to form more complex expressions.
Common Mistakes
Learners often mistakenly pronounce 紫 as 'zī' instead of 'zǐ', which can lead to confusion with the word '子' (zǐ). Another common error is to use it interchangeably with other color terms; be sure to use it specifically for purple hues.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 紫
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Example
Learning Lab
Knowing 紫 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.
紫 = 糸 + 此. What kind of character does that make it?
Decomposition of 紫
IDS Structure⿱此糸
紫Full character
=
此ci3
top
糸mi4
bottom
Exercise 1 of 2
Parts
Which of these is part of 紫?
How to say purple in Chinese
“purple” in Chinese is紫zǐ
The character 紫 (zǐ) refers to the color purple or violet, often associated with nobility and luxury in Chinese culture. It can also denote specific plants like Lithospermum erythrorhizon, which is known for providing a purple dye. In various contexts, it appears in phrases relating to beauty, fashion, and aesthetics.
When to use 紫
Be careful not to confuse 紫 with other colors like 蓝 (blue) or 红 (red). While it can be used in both formal and informal contexts, it's more common in discussions about art, fashion, or nature. Remember to pronounce it with the third tone (zǐ) to avoid misunderstandings.
紫 or something close to it
紫 (zǐ) vs 蓝 (lán) — choose 紫 when referring specifically to purple, while 蓝 denotes blue.
What learners get wrong
Learners often mistakenly pronounce 紫 as 'zī' instead of 'zǐ', which can lead to confusion with the word '子' (zǐ). Another common error is to use it interchangeably with other color terms; be sure to use it specifically for purple hues.
Write 紫
紫
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Practice writing 紫 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
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Grammar patterns of 紫
紫 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.
"Get the guy in the purple shirt." — "All right, my man."
10
水冰冷无比，我的手全冻紫了。
shuǐ bīng lěng wúbǐ， wǒ de shǒu quán dòng zǐ le。
The water was ice cold and my hands were completely blue.
11
她选择了一条紫色的裙子参加晚会。
Tā xuǎnzé le yī tiáo zǐsè de qúnzi cānjiā wǎnhuì.
She chose a purple dress to attend the party.
12
紫色的葡萄已经成熟，可以采摘了。
Zǐsè de pútáo yǐjīng chéngshú, kěyǐ cǎizhāi le.
The purple grapes are ripe and ready for picking.
13
夕阳的光辉把天空染成了紫色。
Xīyáng de guānghuī bǎ tiānkōng rǎnchéng le zǐsè.
The sunset's glow dyed the sky purple.
14
这家餐厅的墙壁是淡紫色的，给人一种宁静的感觉。
Zhè jiā cāntīng de qiángbì shì dàn zǐsè de, gěi rén yī zhǒng níngjìng de gǎnjué.
The walls of this restaurant are light purple, giving a sense of tranquility.
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Word Family of 紫
Compounds1
橴zǐ
Words containing this character20
紫zǐpurple
紫色zǐsèpurple
紫外线zǐwàixiànultraviolet ray紫外線
紫藤zǐténgwisteria
紫罗兰zǐluólánviolet (botany)紫羅蘭
紫红色zǐhóngsèred-purple紫紅色
大红大紫dàhóngdàzǐto hit the big time大紅大紫
紫菜zǐcàiJapanese: nori
酱紫jiàngzǐdark reddish purple醬紫
赵紫阳zhàozǐyángZhao Ziyang (1919-2005), PRC reforming politician, general secretary of Chinese Communist Party 1987-1989, held under house arrest from 1989 to his death, and non-person since then趙紫陽
紫禁城zǐjìnchéngthe Forbidden City
紫金zǐjīnZijin county in Heyuan 河源[Héyuán], Guangdong
紫荆zǐjīngChinese redbud (Cercis chinensis)紫荊
紫薇zǐwēicrape myrtle
紫丁香zǐdīngxiānglilac
青紫qīngzǐpurple
紫外zǐwàiultraviolet (ray)
紫苏zǐsūshiso紫蘇
紫檀zǐtánred sandalwood
紫金山zǐjīnshānPurple Mountain in suburbs of Nanjing, with Ming tombs and Sun Yat-sen's mausoleum
Exercise 1 of 4
Words with 紫
What does 紫色 mean?
Frequently asked questions about 紫
Common phrases include 紫色的花 (purple flowers) or 紫罗兰 (violet), which help contextualize its use in everyday conversation.
Yes, it appears in idioms like 紫气东来 (a sign of good fortune), illustrating its positive connotations.
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