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氧 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
氧yǎngoxygen (chemistry)HSK 7, n, 10 strokes, radical 气, rank #6754, Hard
氧yǎngoxygenHSK 7, n, 10 strokes, radical 气, rank #6754, Hard
yǎng(yang3) T3
  1. 1oxygen (chemistry)
  2. 2oxygen
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March 24, 2026
氧yǎng(yang3)

氧 (yǎng) refers to oxygen, an essential element in chemistry and biology. It is commonly discussed in contexts related to respiration, combustion, and various chemical reactions, highlighting its importance in sustaining life and energy production.

Strokes10Radical气Frequency#6754DifficultyHard
Cultural Note

Oxygen's significance in Chinese culture is often highlighted in discussions of health and wellness, emphasizing the importance of clean air and the concept of '气' (qi), which is vital for life and energy.

Memory Tip

Think of '氧 (yǎng)' as 'yank' oxygen from the air for breathing. The character consists of the radical for 'gas' (气) at the bottom, reminding you that oxygen is a gaseous element. Imagine a balloon filled with air, where the 'yank' action pulls out the essential oxygen.

Meanings of 氧

yǎng(yang3)
1oxygen (chemistry)
2oxygen
Exercise 1 of 2

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About 氧

氧Simplified
10Strokes
气Radical
名词míngcínoun (n.)Part of Speech
#6754Frequency Rank
HSK 3.0L7AdvancedCEFRC2

Podcast: 氧

JasonAmy

Podcast: 氧

Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you

AI Study Notes for 氧

Memory Mnemonic

Think of '氧 (yǎng)' as 'yank' oxygen from the air for breathing. The character consists of the radical for 'gas' (气) at the bottom, reminding you that oxygen is a gaseous element. Imagine a balloon filled with air, where the 'yank' action pulls out the essential oxygen.

Usage Notes

When discussing oxygen in scientific contexts, ensure you use the correct tone, as it can sound similar to '养 (yǎng)', meaning to nurture. This can lead to confusion, especially in conversations about health or biology. It's generally used in more formal contexts.

HSK Study Tips

Although '氧' is not part of the standard HSK vocabulary lists, it connects with other HSK Level 3 words related to science, like '水 (shuǐ, water)' and '火 (huǒ, fire)'. Students should focus on its application in scientific discussions and enhancing their understanding of related vocabulary.

Cultural Note

Oxygen's significance in Chinese culture is often highlighted in discussions of health and wellness, emphasizing the importance of clean air and the concept of '气' (qi), which is vital for life and energy.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 氧 (yǎng) with 养 (yǎng), meaning to raise or nurture. For example, saying '我需要养空气' (I need to nurture air) instead of '我需要氧气' (I need oxygen) is incorrect.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 氧

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Etymology of 氧

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

Phonosemantic compound. 气 represents the meaning and 羊 represents the sound.

Memory Hint

gas

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

Character Formation Type

What type of character formation is 氧?

Decomposition of 氧

IDS Structure⿹气羊
氧Full Character
=
气qi4
enclosing
羊Yang2
inner
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 氧?

Write 氧

氧

Practice writing 氧 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.

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Grammar Patterns of 氧

氧 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 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 4

Complete the Sentence

臭____是一种非常活跃的氧气形态。

Ozone is a highly reactive form of oxygen gas.

Example Sentences for 氧 (10)

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1
臭氧是一种非常活跃的氧气形态。

chòu yǎng shì yī zhǒng fēi cháng huó yuè de yǎng qì xíng tài。

Ozone is a highly reactive form of oxygen gas.
2
跳绳是最有乐趣的有氧健身运动之一。

tiào shéng shì zuì yǒu lè qù de yǒu yǎng jiàn shēn yùn dòng zhī yī。

Skipping is one of the most enjoyable aerobic activities.
3
我有一位非常好的有氧健身操老师,名叫尼基.

wǒ yǒu yī wèi fēi cháng hǎo de yǒu yǎng jiàn shēn cāo lǎo shī, , míng jiào ní.

I have a very good aerobics teacher called Nicky.
4
碳化合物氧化后必然会产生二氧化碳。

tàn huà hé wù yǎng huà hòu bì rán huì chǎn shēng èr yǎng huà tàn。

Carbon dioxide is a necessary result of the oxidation of carbon compounds.
5
高浓度的臭氧会对眼睛、鼻子和咽喉有刺激作用。

gāo nóng dù de chòu yǎng huì duì yǎn jīng、 、 bí zǐ hé yān hóu yǒu cì jī zuò。

In heavy concentrations, ozone is irritating to the eyes, nose and throat.
6
两种主要的燃烧产物是水蒸气和二氧化碳。

liǎng zhǒng zhǔ yào de rán shāo chǎn wù shì shuǐ zhēng qì hé èr yǎng huà tàn。

The two principal combustion products are water vapor and carbon dioxide.
7
核糖与脱氧核糖分别是核糖核酸与脱氧核酸(DNA)的结构成分.

hé táng yǔ tuō yǎng hé táng fēn bié shì hé táng hé suān yǔ tuō yǎng hé suān(DNA) (DNA) de jié gòu chéng.

Ribose and deoxyribose are constituents of the nucleic acids RNA and DNA.
8
氧的反应性很高。

yǎng de fǎn yīng xìng hěn gāo。

Oxygen has high reactivity.
9
密封的飞机内很少需要补充氧气。

mì fēng de fēi jī nèi hěn shǎo xū yào bǔ chōng yǎng qì。

Supplementary oxygen is rarely needed in pressurized aircraft.
10
碳、氢、氧化合形成碳水化合物和脂肪。

tàn、 、、 qīng 、 yǎng huà hé xíng chéng tàn shuǐ huà hé wù hé。

Carbon, hydrogen and oxygen combine chemically to form carbohydrates and fats.

Cultural Notes for 氧

🏮Cultural insight

Oxygen's significance in Chinese culture is often highlighted in discussions of health and wellness, emphasizing the importance of clean air and the concept of '气' (qi), which is vital for life and energy.

Word Family of 氧

Words Containing This Character20
氧yǎngoxygen (chemistry)
氧气yǎngqìoxygen氧氣
氧化to oxidize
二氧化碳èryǎnghuàtàncarbon dioxide CO2
缺氧anaerobic
一氧化碳carbon monoxide CO
氧化铝aluminum oxide氧化鋁
二氧化硫sulfur dioxide SO2
氧化物oxide
臭氧层ozone layer臭氧層
氢氧化钠caustic soda氫氧化鈉
臭氧ozone (O₃)
过氧化物peroxide過氧化物
厌氧anaerobic厭氧
高压氧hyperbaric oxygen高壓氧
氧化剂oxidant氧化劑
过氧化氢hydrogen peroxide H2O2過氧化氫
脱氧deoxidation脫氧
双氧水hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) solution雙氧水
二氧化硅silicon dioxide (SiO2)
Exercise 1 of 4

Compound Meaning

What does 氧 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 氧

It is pronounced as 'yǎng' with a falling-rising tone.