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蘚 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
蘚xiǎnlichen, mossx, 21 strokes, radical 艹, rank #90560, Very Hard
xiǎn(xian3) T3
  1. 1lichen, moss
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

蘚xiǎn(xian3)

The character 蘚 (xiǎn) refers to lichen or moss, which are small, non-flowering plants that typically grow in damp or shady environments. These organisms play an important role in ecosystems, contributing to soil formation and providing habitats for various species. The term is often used in botanical contexts and in discussions about ecology.

Strokes21Radical艹Frequency#90560DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note

In traditional Chinese medicine, certain types of moss and lichen are believed to possess healing properties. They are often used in herbal remedies, reflecting the deep connection between nature and medicine in Chinese culture.

Memory Tip

Picture a green mossy patch on a rock, which looks like a soft carpet. The character 蘚 has the radical for 'plant' (艹) at the top, indicating its botanical nature, and the rest of the character can remind you of 'xian' by imagining someone saying 'shh' while gently touching the soft moss.

Meanings of 蘚

xiǎn(xian3)
1lichen, moss
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 蘚

蘚Simplified
21Strokes
艹Radical
非语素字non-morpheme character (n-m.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 蘚

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Podcast: 蘚

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AI Study Notes for 蘚

Usage Notes

While 蘚 is not commonly used in everyday conversation, it is important in scientific and ecological discussions. Avoid confusing it with similar-sounding words; pay attention to the tones, as xiǎn (蘚) is different from xiān (先), which means 'first.' Collocations include phrases such as '蘚類植物' (xiǎn lèi zhí wù) meaning 'mosses and lichens.'

HSK Study Tips

Although 蘚 is not part of the HSK vocabulary list, it could be useful for learners interested in nature-related topics. Understanding this word can enhance vocabulary in ecological discussions, linking it to other plant-related terms learned at lower levels.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 蘚 with similar characters, such as 襟 (jīn), which means 'collar.' For example, saying '我喜欢蘚' (wǒ xǐ huān xiǎn) to mean 'I like the collar' is incorrect; it should be '我喜欢襟.'

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 蘚

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Etymology of 蘚

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

Phonosemantic compound. 艹 represents the meaning and 鲜 represents the sound. Simplified form of 蘚.

Memory Hint

grass

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

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 蘚

Phonosemantic compound. 艹 represents the meaning and 鲜 represents the sound. Simplified form of 蘚.

  1. 1The meaning half艹 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half鮮 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 蘚? 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 蘚?

Decomposition of 蘚

IDS Structure⿱艹鮮
蘚Full Character
=
艹cao3
top
鮮xian1
bottom
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 蘚?

How to say lichen, moss in Chinese

“lichen, moss” in Chinese is蘚xiǎn

The character 蘚 (xiǎn) refers to lichen or moss, which are small, non-flowering plants that typically grow in damp or shady environments. These organisms play an important role in ecosystems, contributing to soil formation and providing habitats for various species. The term is often used in botanical contexts and in discussions about ecology.

When to use 蘚

While 蘚 is not commonly used in everyday conversation, it is important in scientific and ecological discussions. Avoid confusing it with similar-sounding words; pay attention to the tones, as xiǎn (蘚) is different from xiān (先), which means 'first.' Collocations include phrases such as '蘚類植物' (xiǎn lèi zhí wù) meaning 'mosses and lichens.'

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 蘚 with similar characters, such as 襟 (jīn), which means 'collar.' For example, saying '我喜欢蘚' (wǒ xǐ huān xiǎn) to mean 'I like the collar' is incorrect; it should be '我喜欢襟.'

Write 蘚

蘚

Practice writing 蘚 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 蘚

Words Containing This Character2
苔藓moss苔蘚
藓xiǎnmoss蘚
Exercise 1 of 2

Compound Meaning

What does 苔藓 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 蘚

It is pronounced as 'xiǎn' with a third tone.

Jason Recommends

Not sure what to learn after 蘚?

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