泌 meaning and stroke order
To seep out, to secrete
How to write 泌, 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.
- 1
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- 8
Meaning of 泌
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- (bound form) to secrete
- used in 泌陽|泌阳[Bi4 yang2] (the name of a place in Henan)
How 泌 is built
Phono-semantic (sound + meaning) character. Water.
氵 gives the meaning and 必 hints at the sound.
Radical: 氵 (water), shared by 467 characters on this site.
How to remember 泌
泌 combines water 氵 with 必 (bì), which gives the sound. Picture liquid that must (必) come out, slowly seeping from the body as a secretion.
泌 is a bound form, so it appears inside words rather than alone. The most common word is 分泌 (fēnmì), used in biology and medicine. Example: 汗腺分泌汗水。(Hànxiàn fēnmì hànshuǐ.) Sweat glands secrete sweat.
Common mistake: Learners often read 泌 as bì because of its phonetic part 必, but in 分泌 it is mì. Also do not confuse it with 秘 (mì, secret), which has the grain radical 禾 instead of water.
Common words with 泌
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 分泌 | fēnmì | to secrete; secretion | HSK 7-9 |
Questions about 泌
How many strokes are in 泌?
泌 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 泌 mean?
泌 (mì) means to seep out, to secrete. A common word with it is 分泌 (fēnmì), meaning "to secrete; secretion".
How do you pronounce 泌?
泌 is pronounced mì, in the fourth tone (falling).
What is the radical of 泌?
The radical of 泌 is 氵, which carries the idea of "water". Dictionaries list 泌 under this radical.
Is 泌 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 泌 is part of the HSK 7-9 character list in the HSK 3.0 standard.
When is 泌 pronounced bì?
Only in the place name 泌阳 (Bìyáng), a county in Henan. In everyday and scientific vocabulary it is mì.
What other words use 泌?
Besides 分泌, you will see 泌尿 (mìniào, urinary), as in 泌尿科 (mìniàokē, urology department). Another medical term is 内分泌 (nèifēnmì, endocrine).