蔭 meaning and stroke order
Shade, shelter; to protect
How to write 蔭, stroke by stroke
14 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 蔭
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- (bound form) shade (of a tree)
- shade
How 蔭 is built
Ideographic (compound meaning) character. Shade 陰 provided by a tree 艹; 陰 also provides the pronunciation.
Radical: 艹 (grass), shared by 421 characters on this site.
How to remember 蔭
The grass radical 艹 sits on top of 陰 (yīn), which means shade. Think of plants and leaves overhead casting shade, so 蔭 is the cool shade under a tree. 陰 also gives the sound yīn.
蔭 is a traditional form, and in simplified Chinese you will usually see 荫. It mostly appears in bound words like 树荫 (shùyīn), shade of a tree, rather than on its own. Example: 我们在树荫下休息。(Wǒmen zài shùyīn xià xiūxi.) We rest in the shade of the tree.
Common mistake: Learners often confuse 蔭 with 陰 (yīn), which lacks the grass radical and means overcast, dark, or yin as in yin and yang. Write 蔭 with 艹 only when you mean the shade that plants give.
Common words with 蔭
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 樹蔭 | shùyīn | shade of a tree; Taiwan pr. [shu4yin4] | HSK 7-9 |
Questions about 蔭
How many strokes are in 蔭?
蔭 is written with 14 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 蔭 mean?
蔭 (yīn) means shade, shelter; to protect. A common word with it is 树荫 (shùyīn), meaning "shade of a tree; Taiwan pr. [shu4yin4]".
How do you pronounce 蔭?
蔭 is pronounced yīn, in the first tone (high and level).
What is the radical of 蔭?
The radical of 蔭 is 艹, which carries the idea of "grass". Dictionaries list 蔭 under this radical.
What is the simplified form of 蔭?
蔭 is a traditional character. Its simplified form is 荫, used in mainland China and Singapore.
Is 蔭 pronounced yīn or yìn?
The dictionary lists both readings. In mainland Mandarin, 树荫 is read shùyīn with first tone, while in Taiwan it is commonly read shùyìn with fourth tone.
Can 蔭 mean protection, not just shade?
Yes. Beyond literal shade, it can mean to shelter or protect, like the way a big tree covers what is beneath it. This sense appears mainly in written or formal contexts.