芯 meaning and stroke order
Core, pith; the pith of a rush (Juncus effusus)
How to write 芯, stroke by stroke
7 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 芯
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- (bound form) the pith of the rush plant (used as a lampwick)
- used in 芯子[xin4 zi5]
- Taiwan pr. [xin1]
How 芯 is built
Ideographic (compound meaning) character. The heart 心 of a plant 艹; 心 also provides the pronunciation.
Radical: 艹 (grass), shared by 421 characters on this site.
How to remember 芯
芯 puts the grass radical 艹 on top of 心 (xīn, heart). Think of it as the heart of a plant, its soft inner core, and 心 also tells you the sound xīn.
Today 芯 most often means the core or inner part of something, especially in technology words like 芯片 (xīnpiàn, microchip). It also appears in words like 灯芯 (dēngxīn, lamp wick). Example: 这部手机的芯片很快。(Zhè bù shǒujī de xīnpiàn hěn kuài.) This phone's chip is very fast.
Common mistake: Learners often write 心 instead of 芯 in 芯片, since the sound is identical. If the word is about a physical core, wick, or chip, it needs the grass radical 艹 on top.
Common words with 芯
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 芯片 | xīnpiàn | computer chip; microchip | HSK 7-9 |
芯 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Questions about 芯
How many strokes are in 芯?
芯 is written with 7 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 芯 mean?
芯 (xīn) means core, pith; the pith of a rush (Juncus effusus). A common word with it is 芯片 (xīnpiàn), meaning "computer chip; microchip".
How do you pronounce 芯?
芯 is pronounced xīn, in the first tone (high and level).
What is the radical of 芯?
The radical of 芯 is 艹, which carries the idea of "grass". Dictionaries list 芯 under this radical.
Is 芯 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 芯 is part of the HSK 7-9 character list in the HSK 3.0 standard.
Is 芯 ever pronounced xìn?
Yes. In 芯子 (xìnzi), meaning something like a fuse or a snake's tongue, mainland Mandarin uses the fourth tone xìn. In Taiwan this word is read with the first tone xīn.
What is the difference between 芯 and 核 for core?
芯 is the soft inner part or central strand, like a wick, a pencil lead (笔芯, bǐxīn), or a chip. 核 (hé) is a hard core or nucleus, like a fruit pit or 核心 (héxīn, core, central).