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堊 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
堊èchalk; to daub with chalk; holy, sacred, sagaciousx, 11 strokes, radical 土
è(e4) T4
  1. 1chalk; to daub with chalk; holy, sacred, sagacious
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

堊è(e4)

The character 堊 (è) primarily refers to chalk, a soft white limestone used for writing or marking. It can also convey the idea of something being holy or sacred, reflecting a sense of wisdom or sagacity. This character is less common in daily use but may appear in literary or formal contexts.

Strokes11Radical土
Cultural Note

In traditional Chinese culture, chalk is often associated with teaching and scholarship, emphasizing the value placed on education and wisdom. The use of chalkboards in classrooms signifies a space of learning and knowledge dissemination.

Memory Tip

Imagine a wise sage (the meaning of 'sacred' or 'sagacious') standing on a chalkboard, where he writes profound teachings with chalk (堊). The character has a '土' (earth) radical, suggesting its earthiness, as chalk comes from the earth.

Meanings of 堊

è(e4)
1chalk; to daub with chalk; holy, sacred, sagacious
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 堊

堊Simplified
11Strokes
土Radical
非语素字non-morpheme character (n-m.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 堊

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Podcast: 堊

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AI Study Notes for 堊

Usage Notes

堊 is often used in formal or literary contexts rather than everyday conversation. Learners should be careful not to confuse it with the more common characters for chalk (like 粉笔). Remember to use the correct tone (è) to avoid misinterpretation.

HSK Study Tips

This character is not included in the HSK levels, but it connects with HSK vocabulary related to education and learning, such as 教 (to teach) and 学 (to learn). Focus on the context of chalk in educational settings when studying.

Common Mistakes

Learners often mispronounce 堊 by using the wrong tone, such as saying 'ya' instead of 'è.' Additionally, some may confuse it with similar characters like 土, which has a different meaning related to earth.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 堊

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Etymology of 堊

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

Phonosemantic compound. 土 represents the meaning and 亚 represents the sound. Simplified form of 堊.

Memory Hint

earth

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

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 堊

Phonosemantic compound. 土 represents the meaning and 亚 represents the sound. Simplified form of 堊.

  1. 1The meaning half土 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half亞 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
  3. 3The giveawayearth
  4. 4On the record aspictophonetic.

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

Want the full history of 堊? 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 堊?

Decomposition of 堊

IDS Structure⿱亞土
堊Full Character
=
亞ya4
top
土Tu3
bottom
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 堊?

How to say chalk; to daub with chalk; holy, sacred, sagacious in Chinese

“chalk; to daub with chalk; holy, sacred, sagacious” in Chinese is堊è

The character 堊 (è) primarily refers to chalk, a soft white limestone used for writing or marking. It can also convey the idea of something being holy or sacred, reflecting a sense of wisdom or sagacity. This character is less common in daily use but may appear in literary or formal contexts.

When to use 堊

堊 is often used in formal or literary contexts rather than everyday conversation. Learners should be careful not to confuse it with the more common characters for chalk (like 粉笔). Remember to use the correct tone (è) to avoid misinterpretation.

What learners get wrong

Learners often mispronounce 堊 by using the wrong tone, such as saying 'ya' instead of 'è.' Additionally, some may confuse it with similar characters like 土, which has a different meaning related to earth.

Write 堊

堊

Practice writing 堊 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 堊

Words Containing This Character3
白垩纪Cretaceous (geological period 140-65m years ago)白堊紀
白垩chalk白堊
垩èto whitewash堊
Exercise 1 of 3

Compound Meaning

What does 白垩纪 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 堊

You can say '他用堊在黑板上写字,' meaning 'He wrote on the blackboard with chalk.'

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