Skip to content
Stroke order, etymology and audio for every word.Start learning
红薯 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
红薯hóngshǔsweet potatoHSK 7, unknown, 22 strokes, rank #39608, Very Hard
hóngshǔ(hong2shu3)hong shu T2
  1. 1sweet potato
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

红薯(紅薯)hóngshǔ(hong2shu3)

红薯 (hóng shǔ) means 'sweet potato' in Mandarin. It refers to a starchy root vegetable that is often used in various dishes, especially in autumn and winter. Commonly enjoyed roasted, mashed, or in desserts, it has a natural sweetness and is popular in both traditional and modern cuisine.

Strokes22Frequency#39608DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural note

In Chinese culture, 红薯 is often associated with harvest festivals and is a common street food in colder months, frequently roasted and sold by vendors. It also holds significance in traditional Chinese medicine for its health benefits.

Memory tip

Think of '红' (hóng) as the color red, which can remind you of the reddish hue of some sweet potatoes. '薯' (shǔ) sounds like 'shoe,' so imagine a sweet potato wearing a red shoe. This visual connection can help you remember both the pronunciation and meaning.

Meanings of 红薯

hóngshǔ(hong2shu3)
1sweet potato
Exercise 1 of 2

By ear

Play it, then pick what 红薯 means.

About 红薯

红薯Simplified
紅薯Traditional
22Strokes
—Radical
名词míngcínoun (n.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank
HSK 3.0L7AdvancedCEFRC2

Podcast: 红薯

JasonAmy

Podcast: 红薯

Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you

AI Study Notes for 红薯

Usage Notes

In informal contexts, 红薯 can refer to the sweet potato itself or dishes made from it. Be careful not to confuse it with 土豆 (tǔ dòu), which means potato. It is commonly paired with words like '粥' (zhōu, porridge) or '饼' (bǐng, cake) in culinary contexts.

HSK Study Tips

Although 红薯 is not an HSK word, it connects to HSK Level 2 vocabulary related to food and cooking. Students should focus on recognizing it in menus or recipes and practice using it in sentences about meals.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 红薯 with other root vegetables like potatoes. For example, saying '我喜欢吃土豆' (wǒ xǐ huān chī tǔ dòu) when they mean sweet potatoes. The correct phrase should be '我喜欢吃红薯' (wǒ xǐ huān chī hóng shǔ).

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 红薯

Premium — Locked

AI tone practice

Pro

Drill the tone of 红薯 with AI-powered exercises, get instant feedback, and earn XP toward mastery. Interactive tone practice is part of Pro.

Tone drillsInstant feedback+5 XP
Get Pro to unlock

Jason Explains 红薯 to You

Let me explain 红薯 for you

Make it yours

Jason looks at what you watch and listen to, the checkpoints you have cleared, our lessons and what you have been exploring, and explains 红薯 through them.

Sign in free to make it personal. New accounts start with 215 AI credits.

How Well Do You Know 红薯?

Example

Learning Lab

Knowing 红薯 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.

  • MeaningFree
  • CharacterFree
  • PinyinFree
  • TonePro
  • ListeningPro
  • SpeakingPro
  • WritingPro
See the Learning Lab Three facets free · no card needed

Component Characters

红hóngred
HSK 56 strokes纟
View full entry
薯shǔyam, tuber, potato
16 strokes艹
View full entry

How to say sweet potato in Chinese

“sweet potato” in Chinese is红薯hóngshǔ

红薯 (hóng shǔ) means 'sweet potato' in Mandarin. It refers to a starchy root vegetable that is often used in various dishes, especially in autumn and winter. Commonly enjoyed roasted, mashed, or in desserts, it has a natural sweetness and is popular in both traditional and modern cuisine.

When to use 红薯

In informal contexts, 红薯 can refer to the sweet potato itself or dishes made from it. Be careful not to confuse it with 土豆 (tǔ dòu), which means potato. It is commonly paired with words like '粥' (zhōu, porridge) or '饼' (bǐng, cake) in culinary contexts.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 红薯 with other root vegetables like potatoes. For example, saying '我喜欢吃土豆' (wǒ xǐ huān chī tǔ dòu) when they mean sweet potatoes. The correct phrase should be '我喜欢吃红薯' (wǒ xǐ huān chī hóng shǔ).

Write 红薯

红
薯

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

Write correctly 3 times to earn XP

Ask Jason

Have a question about 红薯?

Jason answers about this word at your level: example sentences, how it differs from similar words, and a way to remember it.

Sign in free to ask. New accounts start with 215 AI credits.

Frequently Asked Questions about 红薯

It is pronounced as 'hóng shǔ,' with a rising tone on 'hong' and a falling tone on 'shu.'

Jason Recommends

Not sure what to learn after 红薯?

Jason picks three words from your level and explains why each one is worth your time next. It takes a free account so he knows what you already know.

A sample week, replayed. Every page you study lands here in the order you did it — your own replay starts with a free account.

See the Learning Lab