Stroke order, etymology and audio for every word.Start learning
清醒 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
Hanzi
Pinyin
English
Tags
清醒
qīngxǐng
clear-headed
HSK 6, a, 27 strokes, rank #2064, Hard
清醒
qīngxǐng
sober
HSK 6, a, 27 strokes, rank #2064, Hard
清醒
qīngxǐng
awake
HSK 6, a, 27 strokes, rank #2064, Hard
qīngxǐng(qing1xing3)qing xing T1
1clear-headed
2sober
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026
清醒qīngxǐng(qing1xing3)
清醒 (qīngxǐng) refers to a state of being clear-headed, awake, and alert. It is commonly used when describing someone who is mentally sharp or sober, especially after being intoxicated or in a foggy state. The term can also be applied metaphorically to situations where clarity of thought is needed.
Strokes27Frequency#2064DifficultyHard
Cultural note
In Chinese culture, the idea of being 清醒 is often associated with the importance of being mentally sharp in social and professional settings. Clarity of thought is highly valued, especially in decision-making processes and during discussions.
Memory tip
Imagine a person named 'Qing' who, after a long night of partying, suddenly feels 'awake' and 'clear-headed' at dawn. The character 清 (qīng) means 'clear' and 醒 (xǐng) means 'to awaken', visually represented by a person rising from sleep as the sun rises, symbolizing clarity and alertness.
Meanings of 清醒
qīngxǐng(qing1xing3)
1clear-headed
2sober
Exercise 1 of 2
By ear
Play it, then pick what 清醒 means.
About 清醒
清醒Simplified
27Strokes
—Radical
形容词xíngróngcíadjective (adj.)Part of Speech
#2064Frequency Rank
HSK 2.0L6HSK 3.0L6IntermediateTOCFLL4HSKKL2CEFRB1
Podcast: 清醒
Podcast: 清醒
Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you
New here?
AI study notes for 清醒
Quick Contrast
清醒 (qīngxǐng) vs 醒 (xǐng) — use 清醒 for a more complete state of alertness or clarity, while 醒 can simply refer to the act of waking up.
Usage Notes
Learners often confuse 清醒 with 醒来 (xǐnglái), which specifically means 'to wake up' rather than 'to be clear-headed'. It's important to remember that 清醒 can be used in both formal and informal contexts, but is more commonly used in everyday conversation. Make sure to use the correct tone for 清 (qīng) and 醒 (xǐng) to avoid misunderstandings.
HSK Study Tips
As a level 6 HSK word, 清醒 connects with other terms related to states of awareness and consciousness like 明白 (míngbái, to understand) and 清楚 (qīngchǔ, clear). Focus on practicing the tones and differentiating it from similar words to master its usage.
Common Mistakes
Learners might mistakenly say '我清醒了' (wǒ qīngxǐngle) when they mean 'I woke up', which should be '我醒来了' (wǒ xǐngláile). Remember, 清醒 emphasizes mental clarity rather than just waking from sleep.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 清醒
Premium — Locked
Tone practice
Pro
Drill the tone of 清醒, say it back, see your pitch against the model voice, and earn XP towards mastery. Interactive tone practice is part of Pro.
Jason looks at what you watch and listen to, the checkpoints you have cleared, our lessons and what you have been exploring, and explains 清醒 through them.
Sign in free to make it personal. New accounts start with 200 AI credits.
How well do you know 清醒?
Example
Learning Lab
Knowing 清醒 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.
清醒 (qīngxǐng) refers to a state of being clear-headed, awake, and alert. It is commonly used when describing someone who is mentally sharp or sober, especially after being intoxicated or in a foggy state. The term can also be applied metaphorically to situations where clarity of thought is needed.
When to use 清醒
Learners often confuse 清醒 with 醒来 (xǐnglái), which specifically means 'to wake up' rather than 'to be clear-headed'. It's important to remember that 清醒 can be used in both formal and informal contexts, but is more commonly used in everyday conversation. Make sure to use the correct tone for 清 (qīng) and 醒 (xǐng) to avoid misunderstandings.
清醒 or something close to it
清醒 (qīngxǐng) vs 醒 (xǐng) — use 清醒 for a more complete state of alertness or clarity, while 醒 can simply refer to the act of waking up.
What learners get wrong
Learners might mistakenly say '我清醒了' (wǒ qīngxǐngle) when they mean 'I woke up', which should be '我醒来了' (wǒ xǐngláile). Remember, 清醒 emphasizes mental clarity rather than just waking from sleep.
Write 清醒
清
醒
New here? to save your writing progress and earn XP.
Practice writing 清醒 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
Write correctly 3 times to earn XP
Grammar patterns of 清醒
清醒 functions as an adjective. In Chinese it behaves like a stative verb: place it directly after the subject without 是 (我很高，not 我是高). Use 不 to negate (不高) and pair it with 很 in plain affirmative sentences. It carries 3 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.
夜里他的痛苦是减轻了，但人也不那么____了。
The pain had lessened in the night, but so had his lucidity.
Example sentences for 清醒 (16)
Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
夜里他的痛苦是减轻了，但人也不那么清醒了。
yèli tā de tòngkǔ shì jiǎnqīng le， dàn rén yě bù nàme qīngxǐng le。
The pain had lessened in the night, but so had his lucidity.
2
一想到要被判刑，他的头脑就会变得非常清醒。
yī xiǎngdào yào bèi pàn xíng， tā de tóunǎo jiù huì biàn de fēicháng qīngxǐng。
A term in prison will concentrate his mind wonderfully.
3
光是这么多的细节就会让哪怕是头脑最清醒的作者感到困惑。
guāng shì zhème duō de xìjié jiù huì ràng nǎpà shì tóunǎo zuì qīngxǐng de zuòzhě gǎndào kùnhuò。
The sheer quantity of detail would bemuse even the most clear-headed author.
