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鼷 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
鼷xīmousezg, 23 strokes, radical 鼠
xī(xi1) T1
  1. 1mouse
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

鼷xī(xi1)

The character 鼷 (xī) refers specifically to a type of small rodent, often translated as 'mouse.' It is used in biological and scientific contexts but is less common in everyday conversation compared to the more general term for mouse, 老鼠 (lǎoshǔ). The character emphasizes the small size and specific nature of the animal.

Strokes23Radical鼠
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, mice can symbolize cleverness and the ability to adapt. They are often seen in folklore and stories, sometimes portrayed as tricksters, which reflects their quick and agile nature.

Memory Tip

Think of the character 鼷 as a 'tiny mouse' scurrying around. The radical 鼠 (shǔ) means 'rat' or 'mouse,' and you can imagine the small 'x' shape in the middle representing the quick movement of a tiny creature. Picture it sneaking through a maze, quick and elusive.

Meanings of 鼷

xī(xi1)
1mouse
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 鼷

鼷Simplified
23Strokes
鼠Radical
状态词stative word (stat.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 鼷

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Podcast: 鼷

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AI Study Notes for 鼷

Usage Notes

Be mindful that 鼷 is not commonly used in casual conversation; instead, use 老鼠 (lǎoshǔ) for everyday references to mice. It is more prevalent in scientific contexts, so it’s important to know your audience when using this term. Avoid confusing it with other rodent-related terms.

HSK Study Tips

Although 鼷 is not included in the HSK vocabulary lists, it can be useful for learners at higher levels interested in biology or animal studies. Focus on understanding the context in which this character might appear and how it relates to other animal vocabulary.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 鼷 with 老鼠, using it in contexts where 老鼠 would be more appropriate. For example, saying '我看到一只鼷在厨房' (I saw a 鼷 in the kitchen) should be corrected to '我看到一只老鼠在厨房.'

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 鼷

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Etymology of 鼷

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

mouse

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

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 鼷

  1. 1The meaning half鼠 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half奚 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
  3. 3The giveawaymouse
  4. 4On the record aspictophonetic.

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

Want the full history of 鼷? 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 鼷?

Decomposition of 鼷

IDS Structure⿰鼠奚
鼷Full Character
=
鼠shu3
left
奚Xi1
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 鼷?

How to say mouse in Chinese

“mouse” in Chinese is鼷xī

The character 鼷 (xī) refers specifically to a type of small rodent, often translated as 'mouse.' It is used in biological and scientific contexts but is less common in everyday conversation compared to the more general term for mouse, 老鼠 (lǎoshǔ). The character emphasizes the small size and specific nature of the animal.

When to use 鼷

Be mindful that 鼷 is not commonly used in casual conversation; instead, use 老鼠 (lǎoshǔ) for everyday references to mice. It is more prevalent in scientific contexts, so it’s important to know your audience when using this term. Avoid confusing it with other rodent-related terms.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 鼷 with 老鼠, using it in contexts where 老鼠 would be more appropriate. For example, saying '我看到一只鼷在厨房' (I saw a 鼷 in the kitchen) should be corrected to '我看到一只老鼠在厨房.'

Write 鼷

鼷

Practice writing 鼷 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 鼷

Words Containing This Character1
鼷xīmouse
Exercise 1 of 1

Compound Meaning

What does 鼷 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 鼷

No, 鼷 is more commonly found in scientific contexts rather than in everyday conversation.

Jason Recommends

Not sure what to learn after 鼷?

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