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萜 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
萜tiēterpeneg, 11 strokes, radical 艹, rank #77645, Very Hard
萜tiēterpene (chemistry)unknown, 11 strokes, radical 艹, rank #77645, Very Hard
tiē(tie1) T1
  1. 1terpene
  2. 2terpene (chemistry)
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

萜tiē(tie1)

The character 萜 (tiē) refers to a class of organic compounds known as terpenes, which are found in many plants and contribute to their fragrance and flavor. Terpenes play important roles in the natural world, including serving as building blocks for essential oils and acting as chemical defense mechanisms for plants. This word is primarily used in scientific and chemical contexts.

Strokes11Radical艹Frequency#77645DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note

In traditional Chinese medicine, the use of plant-derived terpenes is significant for their therapeutic properties, often featured in essential oils used for healing and relaxation.

Memory Tip

Imagine a 'tea' plant that releases fragrant 'terpenes' into the air. The character 萜 has the radical for 'grass' (艹) at the top, reminding you that these compounds are often derived from plants, while the bottom part (乞) sounds like 'qi' in Mandarin, for 'energy' or 'vitality,' reflecting the lively scents they produce.

Meanings of 萜

tiē(tie1)
1terpene
2terpene (chemistry)
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 萜

萜Simplified
11Strokes
艹Radical
语素morpheme (morph.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 萜

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Podcast: 萜

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AI Study Notes for 萜

Usage Notes

When using 萜, ensure you are in a scientific context, as it is not commonly used in everyday conversation. A common mistake is confusing it with similar-sounding words; pay attention to context to avoid miscommunication. This term is typically used in formal discussions related to chemistry or biology.

HSK Study Tips

Since 萜 is not part of the HSK vocabulary list, focus on related words in organic chemistry, such as 化合物 (huàhéwù, compound) or 植物 (zhíwù, plant). Understanding these connections can enhance comprehension of scientific texts in Chinese.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 萜 with other similar-sounding terms, such as 铁 (tiě, iron) or 贴 (tiē, to stick). To avoid confusion, remember that 萜 specifically relates to organic compounds from plants.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 萜

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Etymology of 萜

Formation Typepictophonetic
六书 ClassificationPhono-semantic (形声字)~80-90% of characters
Semantic (meaning)艹
+
Phonetic (sound)帖
Learn more about Phono-semantic (形声字) characters

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 萜

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

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

Want the full history of 萜? 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 萜?

Decomposition of 萜

IDS Structure⿱艹帖
萜Full Character
=
艹cao3
top
帖tie1
bottom
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 萜?

How to say terpene in Chinese

“terpene” in Chinese is萜tiē

The character 萜 (tiē) refers to a class of organic compounds known as terpenes, which are found in many plants and contribute to their fragrance and flavor. Terpenes play important roles in the natural world, including serving as building blocks for essential oils and acting as chemical defense mechanisms for plants. This word is primarily used in scientific and chemical contexts.

When to use 萜

When using 萜, ensure you are in a scientific context, as it is not commonly used in everyday conversation. A common mistake is confusing it with similar-sounding words; pay attention to context to avoid miscommunication. This term is typically used in formal discussions related to chemistry or biology.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 萜 with other similar-sounding terms, such as 铁 (tiě, iron) or 贴 (tiē, to stick). To avoid confusion, remember that 萜 specifically relates to organic compounds from plants.

Write 萜

萜

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

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Word Family of 萜

Words Containing This Character2
萜tiēterpene (chemistry)
萜烯terpene (chemistry)
Exercise 1 of 2

Compound Meaning

What does 萜 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 萜

Terpenes are used in traditional Chinese medicine for their healing properties, often found in essential oils for aromatherapy and natural remedies.

Jason Recommends

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