腋 meaning and stroke order
Armpit
How to write 腋, stroke by stroke
12 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 腋
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- (bound form) armpit; axilla; axil
How 腋 is built
Phono-semantic (sound + meaning) character. Flesh.
⺼ gives the meaning and 夜 hints at the sound.
Radical: ⺼ (meat), shared by 176 characters on this site.
How to remember 腋
腋 combines the flesh radical ⺼ with 夜 (yè, night), which also gives the sound. Think of the armpit as the body part that stays dark like night, tucked away under your arm.
腋 is a bound form, so it rarely stands alone and usually appears in words like 腋下 (yèxià, underarm). You will see it in medical, biology, and product contexts, such as deodorant labels. Example: 他腋下有点疼。(Tā yèxià yǒudiǎn téng.) His armpit hurts a little.
Common mistake: Learners sometimes write the right side as 液 (yè, liquid) or forget the flesh radical and write only 夜. Remember that 腋 uses ⺼ on the left, not the water radical 氵.
Common words with 腋
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 腋下 | yèxià | underarm; armpit |
腋 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Questions about 腋
How many strokes are in 腋?
腋 is written with 12 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 腋 mean?
腋 (yè) means armpit. A common word with it is 腋下 (yèxià), meaning "underarm; armpit".
How do you pronounce 腋?
腋 is pronounced yè, in the fourth tone (falling).
What is the radical of 腋?
The radical of 腋 is ⺼, which carries the idea of "meat". Dictionaries list 腋 under this radical.
What is the everyday word for armpit in spoken Chinese?
In casual speech many people say 胳肢窝 (gāzhiwō), especially in northern China. 腋下 (yèxià) sounds more neutral or formal and is common in writing.
What does 腋 mean in botany?
In plant science 腋 refers to an axil, the angle between a leaf and the stem. For example, 叶腋 (yèyè) means leaf axil.