HSK 7, a, 13 strokes, radical ⺼, rank #17479, Very Hard
腥
xīng
fishy, rank; raw meat
HSK 7, a, 13 strokes, radical ⺼, rank #17479, Very Hard
xīng(xing1)xing T1
1fishy (smell)
2fishy, rank; raw meat
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March 24, 2026
腥xīng(xing1)
The character 腥 (xīng) refers to a strong, unpleasant smell commonly associated with raw fish, meat, or seafood. It is often used to describe the odor that can be off-putting in cooking or food preparation contexts, and can also imply something that is not fresh or has gone bad.
Strokes13Radical⺼Frequency#17479DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note
In Chinese cuisine, fresh ingredients are highly valued, and the concept of 腥 is significant; dishes are often prepared to minimize or eliminate any fishy smell, especially in seafood preparation. This reflects a cultural emphasis on freshness and quality in food.
Memory Tip
Imagine a fish (representing the meaning) swimming in a sea of strong odors. The character 腥 has the radical for flesh (肉) on the left, hinting at its connection to meat, while the phonetic component (猩) sounds like 'sing', which you might do when you smell something bad and want to express your disgust.
Meanings of 腥
xīng(xing1)
1fishy (smell)
2fishy, rank; raw meat
Exercise 1 of 2
By ear
Play it, then pick what 腥 means.
About 腥
腥Simplified
13Strokes
⺼Radical
形容词xíngróngcíadjective (adj.)Part of Speech
#17479Frequency Rank
HSK 2.0L6HSK 3.0L7AdvancedCEFRC2
Podcast: 腥
Podcast: 腥
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AI Study Notes for 腥
Quick Contrast
腥 (xīng) vs 臭 (chòu) — use 腥 when describing the specific smell of raw fish or meat, while 臭 refers to a more general bad odor.
Usage Notes
When using 腥, be mindful of the context; it's often used in negative connotations when describing food. Common collocations include 腥味 (xīngwèi - fishy smell) and 腥气 (xīngqì - fishy odor). Avoid using it in formal contexts as it may come off as too blunt or unrefined.
HSK Study Tips
As an HSK 6 word, 腥 connects well with other food-related vocabulary and adjectives describing taste and smell. Students should focus on its application in culinary discussions and be aware of its nuanced meanings in various contexts.
Common Mistakes
Learners often confuse 腥 with 新鲜 (xīnxiān) and may incorrectly use 腥 to describe fresh food. A correct usage would be '这条鱼有腥味' (This fish has a fishy smell), not '这条鱼很腥鲜' (This fish is very fishy fresh).
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 腥
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How Well Do You Know 腥?
Example
Learning Lab
Knowing 腥 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.
腥 = ⺼ + 星. What kind of character does that make it?
Decomposition of 腥
IDS Structure⿰⺼星
腥Full Character
=
⺼rou4
left
星xing1
right
Exercise 1 of 2
Parts
Which of these is part of 腥?
How to say fishy (smell) in Chinese
“fishy (smell)” in Chinese is腥xīng
The character 腥 (xīng) refers to a strong, unpleasant smell commonly associated with raw fish, meat, or seafood. It is often used to describe the odor that can be off-putting in cooking or food preparation contexts, and can also imply something that is not fresh or has gone bad.
When to use 腥
When using 腥, be mindful of the context; it's often used in negative connotations when describing food. Common collocations include 腥味 (xīngwèi - fishy smell) and 腥气 (xīngqì - fishy odor). Avoid using it in formal contexts as it may come off as too blunt or unrefined.
腥 or something close to it
腥 (xīng) vs 臭 (chòu) — use 腥 when describing the specific smell of raw fish or meat, while 臭 refers to a more general bad odor.
What learners get wrong
Learners often confuse 腥 with 新鲜 (xīnxiān) and may incorrectly use 腥 to describe fresh food. A correct usage would be '这条鱼有腥味' (This fish has a fishy smell), not '这条鱼很腥鲜' (This fish is very fishy fresh).
Write 腥
腥
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Practice writing 腥 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
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Grammar Patterns of 腥
腥 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 2 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 5
Fill the gap
Type the missing word. Pinyin works; then pick the character.
她嗓子里的血____味让她直恶心。
The taste of blood in her throat made her want to vomit.
Example Sentences for 腥 (10)
Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
她嗓子里的血腥味让她直恶心。
tā sǎng zǐ lǐ de xiě xīng wèi ràng tā zhí è xīn。
The taste of blood in her throat made her want to vomit.
2
快到年底时他得了腥红热.
kuài dào nián dǐ shí tā dé le xīng hóng rè.
Towards the end of the year he caught scarlet fever.
3
浓烈的鱼腥味儿
nóng liè de yú xīng wèi ér
an overpowering smell of fish
4
病理学家带有血腥味的工作
bìng lǐ xué jiā dài yǒu xiě xīng wèi de gōng zuò
the gory task of the pathologist
5
那天在CLUB和我麻吉想要偷腥找点刺激.
nà tiān zàiCLUB CLUB hé wǒ má jí xiǎng yào tōu xīng zhǎo diǎn cì.
But keep it down on the low key , cause you know how it is.
6
那么这个腥牙血爪的资本主义国度对此有何反应 呢 ?
nà mó zhè gè xīng yá xiě zhǎo de zī běn zhǔ yì guó dù duì cǐ yǒu hé fǎn yīng?
And the reaction in the land of capitalism red in tooth and claw?
