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洫 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
洫xùmoat, ditchg, 9 strokes, radical 氵
洫xùto ditchunknown, 9 strokes, radical 氵
洫xùa moatunknown, 9 strokes, radical 氵
xù(xu4) T4
  1. 1moat, ditch
  2. 2to ditch
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

洫xù(xu4)

The character 洫 (xù) refers to a moat or ditch, often used in contexts related to irrigation or water management. It can also imply the action of ditching or creating a trench. This term is less commonly used in modern conversation but can be found in literary or historical texts.

Strokes9Radical氵
Cultural Note

In ancient China, moats were crucial for defense and irrigation, reflecting the importance of water management in agricultural practices. This character can be linked to traditional Chinese architecture, where moats served both practical and aesthetic purposes.

Memory Tip

Imagine a large moat surrounding a castle, with the water flowing through a narrow ditch. The character 洫 resembles a flowing river (the water radical 氵) combined with a structure (the 'ditch' component), helping you remember that it relates to water and ditches.

Meanings of 洫

xù(xu4)
1moat, ditch
2to ditch
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 洫

洫Simplified
9Strokes
氵Radical
语素morpheme (morph.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 洫

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Podcast: 洫

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AI Study Notes for 洫

Usage Notes

Be careful not to confuse 洫 with similar-sounding characters like 续 (xù), which means to continue. This character is typically used in formal contexts related to historical texts or discussions on agriculture and engineering. It often collocates with terms related to water management.

HSK Study Tips

Although 洫 is not part of the HSK vocabulary, understanding this character can enrich your knowledge of water-related terms. Focus on the radicals and their meanings, as they frequently appear in other characters at this level.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 洫 (xù) with similar characters. For example, using 洫 instead of 续 (xù) can change the meaning entirely. Always double-check the context to ensure you are using the correct character.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 洫

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Etymology of 洫

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

water

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

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 洫

  1. 1The meaning half氵 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half血 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
  3. 3The giveawaywater
  4. 4On the record aspictophonetic.

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

Want the full history of 洫? 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 洫?

Decomposition of 洫

IDS Structure⿰氵血
洫Full Character
=
氵shui3
left
血xue4
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 洫?

How to say moat, ditch in Chinese

“moat, ditch” in Chinese is洫xù

The character 洫 (xù) refers to a moat or ditch, often used in contexts related to irrigation or water management. It can also imply the action of ditching or creating a trench. This term is less commonly used in modern conversation but can be found in literary or historical texts.

When to use 洫

Be careful not to confuse 洫 with similar-sounding characters like 续 (xù), which means to continue. This character is typically used in formal contexts related to historical texts or discussions on agriculture and engineering. It often collocates with terms related to water management.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 洫 (xù) with similar characters. For example, using 洫 instead of 续 (xù) can change the meaning entirely. Always double-check the context to ensure you are using the correct character.

Write 洫

洫

Practice writing 洫 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 洫

Words Containing This Character1
洫xùto ditch
Exercise 1 of 1

Compound Meaning

What does 洫 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 洫

It is pronounced as 'xù', with a falling tone.

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