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萆 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
萆bìcastor oil; the castor-oil plantx, 11 strokes, radical 艹
萆bìcastor seedunknown, 11 strokes, radical 艹
bì(bi4) T4
  1. 1castor oil; the castor-oil plant
  2. 2castor seed
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

萆bì(bi4)

The character 萆 (bì) refers to the castor oil plant and its seeds, which are known for their oil production. It is most commonly used in botanical or agricultural contexts, particularly when discussing the cultivation and uses of castor oil in various industries.

Strokes11Radical艹
Cultural Note

In traditional Chinese medicine, castor oil has been used for its medicinal properties, highlighting the importance of plants in Chinese health practices. The use of castor oil in cooking and cosmetics is also prevalent in Chinese culture.

Memory Tip

Imagine a big, bushy plant with large leaves (the castor oil plant) growing in a field. The character 萆 looks like a plant with roots (the radical '艹' on top) and seeds (the '比' below). The pronunciation 'bì' can remind you of the sound 'beet'—think of beet plants growing alongside castor oil plants.

Meanings of 萆

bì(bi4)
1castor oil; the castor-oil plant
2castor seed
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 萆

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

Podcast: 萆

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Podcast: 萆

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AI Study Notes for 萆

Usage Notes

Learners often confuse 萆 with similar characters related to other plants or seeds. This character is more formal and specific, so it is rarely used in everyday conversation. Be mindful of tonal pronunciation, as 'bì' is pronounced with a falling tone.

HSK Study Tips

Although 萆 is not part of standard HSK levels, it connects with vocabulary related to botany and agriculture, which can be useful for learners interested in these fields. Students should focus on recognizing plant-related radicals and expanding their vocabulary in this area.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 萆 with the character for '比' (bǐ), leading to mispronunciation or misunderstanding. Remember that 萆 specifically refers to the castor oil plant, while 比 relates to comparison.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 萆

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Etymology of 萆

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

plant

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

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 萆

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

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

Want the full history of 萆? 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 萆?

Decomposition of 萆

IDS Structure⿱艹卑
萆Full Character
=
艹cao3
top
卑bei1
bottom
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 萆?

How to say castor oil; the castor-oil plant in Chinese

“castor oil; the castor-oil plant” in Chinese is萆bì

The character 萆 (bì) refers to the castor oil plant and its seeds, which are known for their oil production. It is most commonly used in botanical or agricultural contexts, particularly when discussing the cultivation and uses of castor oil in various industries.

When to use 萆

Learners often confuse 萆 with similar characters related to other plants or seeds. This character is more formal and specific, so it is rarely used in everyday conversation. Be mindful of tonal pronunciation, as 'bì' is pronounced with a falling tone.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 萆 with the character for '比' (bǐ), leading to mispronunciation or misunderstanding. Remember that 萆 specifically refers to the castor oil plant, while 比 relates to comparison.

Write 萆

萆

Practice writing 萆 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 萆

Words Containing This Character1
萆bìcastor seed
Exercise 1 of 1

Compound Meaning

What does 萆 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 萆

It means 'castor oil' or refers to the castor oil plant.

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