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穸 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
穸xīthe gloom of the grave; tomb, grave; deathx, 8 strokes, radical 穴
xī(xi1) T1
  1. 1the gloom of the grave; tomb, grave; death
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March 24, 2026

穸xī(xi1)

The character 穸 (xī) refers to the concept of a grave or tomb, symbolizing a place of burial for the deceased. It embodies the notions of death and the afterlife, often used in contexts relating to funerary practices or discussions about mortality in Chinese culture.

Strokes8Radical穴
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, graves are significant not only as resting places but also as sites for ancestor worship and festivals like Qingming, where families honor their deceased relatives.

Memory Tip

Imagine a dark, gloomy pit (the grave) where a person is laid to rest. The character 穸 has a bottom part that resembles a pit (土) combined with a cover (亻) that signifies a person, reminding you of a grave where someone is buried.

Meanings of 穸

xī(xi1)
1the gloom of the grave; tomb, grave; death
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 穸

穸Simplified
8Strokes
穴Radical
非语素字non-morpheme character (n-m.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 穸

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Podcast: 穸

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AI Study Notes for 穸

Usage Notes

This character is relatively formal and is mainly used in literary or historical contexts. Common mistakes include confusing it with similar-sounding characters or using it in casual conversation, where more colloquial terms for 'grave' or 'tomb' may be preferred.

HSK Study Tips

While 穸 is not part of the official HSK vocabulary, understanding it can deepen comprehension of related terms about death and burial practices. Focus on recognizing its usage in literature and poetry to enhance vocabulary at higher levels.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 穸 with 墓 (mù), which is more commonly used in everyday language. For example, saying '我去看我的祖先的穸' (I go to see my ancestors' grave) should be corrected to '我去看我的祖先的墓.'

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 穸

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Etymology of 穸

Formation TypeIdeographic 指事
六书 ClassificationIdeograph (指事字)~2% of characters
Memory Hint

A dark 夕 cave 穴; 夕 also provides the pronunciation

Learn more about Ideograph (指事字) characters

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 穸

  1. 1The giveawayA dark 夕 cave 穴; 夕 also provides the pronunciation
  2. 2On the record asideographic — someone drew an idea rather than an object.

Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.

Want the full history of 穸? Jason searches the paleographic record, weighs the competing accounts and judges the popular story.

Charged once for this character — everyone reads it afterwards.
Exercise 1 of 1

Character Formation Type

What type of character formation is 穸?

Decomposition of 穸

IDS Structure⿱穴夕
穸Full Character
=
穴xue2
top
夕xi1
bottom
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 穸?

How to say the gloom of the grave; tomb, grave; death in Chinese

“the gloom of the grave; tomb, grave; death” in Chinese is穸xī

The character 穸 (xī) refers to the concept of a grave or tomb, symbolizing a place of burial for the deceased. It embodies the notions of death and the afterlife, often used in contexts relating to funerary practices or discussions about mortality in Chinese culture.

When to use 穸

This character is relatively formal and is mainly used in literary or historical contexts. Common mistakes include confusing it with similar-sounding characters or using it in casual conversation, where more colloquial terms for 'grave' or 'tomb' may be preferred.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 穸 with 墓 (mù), which is more commonly used in everyday language. For example, saying '我去看我的祖先的穸' (I go to see my ancestors' grave) should be corrected to '我去看我的祖先的墓.'

Write 穸

穸

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

Write correctly 3 times to earn XP

Word Family of 穸

Words Containing This Character1
穸xītomb
Exercise 1 of 1

Compound Meaning

What does 穸 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 穸

It is mostly seen in written forms such as literature or historical texts rather than in everyday conversation.

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