松 meaning and stroke order
Loose; to loosen; to relax
How to write 松, stroke by stroke
8 strokes in order. Each box adds the next stroke in red. Write top to bottom and left to right, and finish enclosing strokes last.
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Meaning of 松
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- pine
- loose
- to loosen
- to relax
- floss (dry, fluffy food product made from shredded, seasoned meat or fish, used as a topping or filling)
How 松 is built
Phono-semantic (sound + meaning) character. Tree.
木 gives the meaning and 公 hints at the sound.
Radical: 木 (tree), shared by 388 characters on this site.
How to remember 松
松 (sōng) is a pictophonetic character: 木 (mù, tree) on the left gives the meaning, and 公 (gōng) on the right hints at the sound. Picture an old public (公) tree in a park that everyone relaxes under, a pine.
In everyday speech 松 is used far more often for "loose" and "relax" than for "pine," especially in words like 放松 (fàngsōng) and 轻松 (qīngsōng). It also works as a verb meaning to loosen. Example: 周末我想放松一下。(Zhōumò wǒ xiǎng fàngsōng yíxià.) I want to relax a bit this weekend.
Common mistake: Learners often give 松 the same tone as its phonetic part 公 (gōng) and say gōng, or mix it up with 送 (sòng, to send). 松 is first tone sōng, and its left side is 木, not the walking radical 辶 found in 送.
Common words with 松
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 放松 | fàngsōng | to relax; to slacken; to loosen | HSK 4 |
| 轻松 | qīngsōng | light; gentle | HSK 4 |
| 松树 | sōngshù | pine; pine tree | HSK 4 |
| 松绑 | sōngbǎng | to untie; (fig.) to ease restrictions | HSK 7-9 |
| 宽松 | kuānsōng | spacious; roomy; uncrowded; (of clothes) loose and comfortable | HSK 7-9 |
| 松弛 | sōngchí | to relax; relaxed | HSK 7-9 |
| 松鼠 | sōngshǔ | squirrel | |
| 松开 | sōngkāi | to release; to let go | |
| 松饼 | sōngbǐng | muffin; pancake | |
| 松手 | sōngshǒu | to relinquish one's grip; to let go | |
| 马拉松 | mǎlāsōng | (loanword) marathon | |
| 杜松子酒 | dùsōngzǐjiǔ | gin | |
| 肉松 | ròusōng | meat floss; shredded dried pork | |
| 松懈 | sōngxiè | to relax; to relax efforts |
松 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Characters that contain 松
Learning 松 makes these easier to recognize and write.
Questions about 松
How many strokes are in 松?
松 is written with 8 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 松 mean?
松 (sōng) means loose; to loosen; to relax. A common word with it is 放松 (fàngsōng), meaning "to relax; to slacken; to loosen".
How do you pronounce 松?
松 is pronounced sōng, in the first tone (high and level).
What is the radical of 松?
The radical of 松 is 木, which carries the idea of "tree". Dictionaries list 松 under this radical.
What is the traditional form of 松?
The traditional form of 松 is 鬆. Traditional characters are used in Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau; 松 is the simplified form used in mainland China and Singapore.
Is 松 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 松 is part of the HSK 4 character list in the HSK 3.0 standard.
Why does 松鼠 mean squirrel?
松鼠 (sōngshǔ) literally means "pine mouse," because squirrels live in pine trees and eat pine nuts. Here 松 keeps its tree meaning.
What is 肉松 and how does 松 fit in?
肉松 (ròusōng) is meat floss, a dry, fluffy topping made from shredded, seasoned meat. 松 here describes the loose, fluffy texture. You often see it on bread or in rice balls, and there is also a fish version called 鱼松 (yúsōng).