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March 24, 2026
硙(磑)ái(ai2)
The character 硙 (ái) refers to a millstone used for grinding grains. It is often associated with traditional milling processes in agrarian societies, symbolizing purity and the transformation of raw materials into usable products. In some contexts, it can also denote something that is snowy white or pure.
Strokes11Radical石
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, millstones are often associated with traditional grain production, reflecting the agrarian lifestyle that has been central to Chinese history. The purity suggested by the character also ties into cultural values around cleanliness and quality in food preparation.
Memory Tip
Think of 硙 (ái) as a snowy white stone used for grinding. Picture a large, pure white millstone, where the '石' (shí) radical represents stone, and the '亥' (hài) component sounds like 'high', reminding you that it is a high-quality tool for making flour.
Meanings of 硙
ái(ai2)
primary
1millstone; to grind, to mill
2snowy white
Exercise 1 of 2
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About 硙
硙Simplified
磑Traditional
11Strokes
石Radical
状态词stative word (stat.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank
Podcast: 硙
Podcast: 硙
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AI Study Notes for 硙
Usage Notes
This character is not commonly used in everyday conversation, so learners might confuse it with similar characters. It's important to remember that it is more formal and specific to certain contexts, such as traditional food preparation, rather than casual speech. Be careful with the tone; 'ái' is pronounced with the second tone, which can change the meaning significantly.
HSK Study Tips
Although 硙 is not part of the HSK vocabulary, it connects with HSK Level 2 characters like '米' (mǐ, rice) and '磨' (mó, to grind). Focus on understanding the context in which milling and grinding are discussed, as well as the cultural significance of these processes in China.
Common Mistakes
Learners often confuse 硙 (ái) with 磨 (mó), mistakenly using them interchangeably. For example, saying '我用磨磨米' (Wǒ yòng mó mó mǐ) is incorrect; it should be '我用硙磨米' (Wǒ yòng ái mó mǐ).
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 硙
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Etymology of 硙
Formation Typepictophonetic
六书 ClassificationPhono-semantic (形声å—)~80-90% of characters
硙 = 石 + 岂. What kind of character does that make it?
Decomposition of 硙
IDS Structure⿰石岂
硙Full Character
=
石dan4
left
岂kai3
right
Exercise 1 of 2
Parts
Which of these is part of 硙?
How to say millstone; to grind, to mill in Chinese
“millstone; to grind, to mill” in Chinese is硙ái
The character 硙 (ái) refers to a millstone used for grinding grains. It is often associated with traditional milling processes in agrarian societies, symbolizing purity and the transformation of raw materials into usable products. In some contexts, it can also denote something that is snowy white or pure.
When to use 硙
This character is not commonly used in everyday conversation, so learners might confuse it with similar characters. It's important to remember that it is more formal and specific to certain contexts, such as traditional food preparation, rather than casual speech. Be careful with the tone; 'ái' is pronounced with the second tone, which can change the meaning significantly.
What learners get wrong
Learners often confuse 硙 (ái) with 磨 (mó), mistakenly using them interchangeably. For example, saying '我用磨磨米' (Wǒ yòng mó mó mǐ) is incorrect; it should be '我用硙磨米' (Wǒ yòng ái mó mǐ).
Write 硙
硙
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Word Family of 硙
Words Containing This Character1
硙áisnowy white磑
Frequently Asked Questions about 硙
You might use 硙 in a sentence like '我们用硙磨小麦' (Wǒmen yòng ái mó xiǎomài), meaning 'We use the millstone to grind wheat.'
Yes, characters like 磨 (mó) also relate to grinding, but 硙 specifically refers to the millstone itself.
The tone of 硙 is the second tone (ái), which is important to pronounce correctly to avoid confusion with other characters.
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