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莪 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
莪émugwort, Artemisiazg, 10 strokes, radical 艹
莪ézedoary (Curcuma zedoaria), plant rhizome similar to turmericunknown, 10 strokes, radical 艹
é(e2) T2
  1. 1mugwort, Artemisia
  2. 2zedoary (Curcuma zedoaria), plant rhizome similar to turmeric
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

莪é(e2)

The character 莪 (é) refers to the plant mugwort, commonly used in traditional Chinese medicine and cooking. It can also denote zedoary, a rhizome similar to turmeric, known for its medicinal properties. This word is often used in herbal contexts or discussions about traditional remedies.

Strokes10Radical艹
Cultural Note

Mugwort has cultural significance in Chinese traditions, especially during the Dragon Boat Festival, where it is used to ward off evil spirits. This reflects the deep-rooted belief in the protective properties of certain plants in Chinese culture.

Memory Tip

Imagine a mugwort plant with its green leaves swaying in the wind, resembling a dance. The character 莪 has the radical for 'plant' (艹) at the top, indicating it's a botanical term. Think of 'é' as the sound of the wind whispering through the leaves of this herbal remedy.

Meanings of 莪

é(e2)
1mugwort, Artemisia
2zedoary (Curcuma zedoaria), plant rhizome similar to turmeric
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 莪

莪Simplified
10Strokes
艹Radical
状态词stative word (stat.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 莪

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Podcast: 莪

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AI Study Notes for 莪

Usage Notes

Learners should note that 莪 is a more specialized term and may not be used in everyday conversation. It is primarily found in formal contexts, such as herbal medicine discussions. Be careful with the tone; the 'é' sound should be pronounced with a rising tone to avoid confusion with other characters.

HSK Study Tips

Although 莪 is not part of the HSK vocabulary, it connects to HSK Level 3-4 words related to plants and herbs. Students should focus on expanding their vocabulary related to traditional medicine and understanding context in which such specialized terms are used.

Common Mistakes

A common mistake is using 莪 in informal contexts, where more general terms like '草' (cǎo, grass) might be more appropriate. Additionally, learners may mispronounce it, saying 'a' instead of the correct rising tone 'é'.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 莪

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Etymology of 莪

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

grass

Semantic (meaning)艹
+
Phonetic (sound)我
Learn more about Phono-semantic (形声字) characters

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 莪

  1. 1The meaning half艹 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half我 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
  3. 3The giveawaygrass
  4. 4On the record aspictophonetic.

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

Want the full history of 莪? 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 莪?

Decomposition of 莪

IDS Structure⿱艹我
莪Full Character
=
艹cao3
top
我wo3
bottom
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 莪?

How to say mugwort, Artemisia in Chinese

“mugwort, Artemisia” in Chinese is莪é

The character 莪 (é) refers to the plant mugwort, commonly used in traditional Chinese medicine and cooking. It can also denote zedoary, a rhizome similar to turmeric, known for its medicinal properties. This word is often used in herbal contexts or discussions about traditional remedies.

When to use 莪

Learners should note that 莪 is a more specialized term and may not be used in everyday conversation. It is primarily found in formal contexts, such as herbal medicine discussions. Be careful with the tone; the 'é' sound should be pronounced with a rising tone to avoid confusion with other characters.

What learners get wrong

A common mistake is using 莪 in informal contexts, where more general terms like '草' (cǎo, grass) might be more appropriate. Additionally, learners may mispronounce it, saying 'a' instead of the correct rising tone 'é'.

Write 莪

莪

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

Write correctly 3 times to earn XP

Grammar Patterns of 莪

莪 carries 2 distinct meanings. Below you'll find the patterns that show how it combines with other words, plus example sentences pulled directly from native usage.

Exercise 1 of 1

Complete the Sentence

?妗____还沩洎己哋帅洏坚强哋萿着!

So far I also own a strong and handsome alive!

Example Sentences for 莪 (1)

Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
?妗莪还沩洎己哋帅洏坚强哋萿着!

? ? jìn é huán wéi jì jǐ diè shuài ér jiān qiáng diè kuò!

So far I also own a strong and handsome alive!

Word Family of 莪

Words Containing This Character1
莪ézedoary (Curcuma zedoaria), plant rhizome similar to turmeric
Exercise 1 of 1

Compound Meaning

What does 莪 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 莪

Mugwort is believed to have various health benefits, including aiding digestion and promoting circulation.

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