蕭 meaning and stroke order
Mournful, desolate; common Artemisa
How to write 蕭, stroke by stroke
17 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 蕭
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- (old) Chinese mugwort
- (bound form) desolate; dreary
How 蕭 is built
Phono-semantic (sound + meaning) character. Solemn.
肅 gives the meaning and 艹 hints at the sound.
Radical: 艹 (grass), shared by 421 characters on this site.
How to remember 蕭
Picture grass 艹 growing over something solemn and still 肅 (sù). A quiet, grassy, abandoned place feels mournful and desolate, which is the feeling of 蕭 (xiāo).
Today 蕭 rarely appears alone. It mostly shows up in words like 蕭條 (simplified 萧条, xiāotiáo), which describes a bleak scene or a slow economy. Example: 經濟很蕭條。(Jīngjì hěn xiāotiáo.) The economy is in a slump.
Common mistake: Learners often mix up 蕭 with 肅 (sù, solemn), which lacks the grass top, and with 簫 (xiāo, a bamboo flute), which has the bamboo top ⺮ instead of 艹. Check the top component before you read or write it.
Common words with 蕭
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 蕭條 | xiāotiáo | bleak; desolate; (economics) in a slump; sluggish; depressed | HSK 7-9 |
Characters that contain 蕭
Learning 蕭 makes these easier to recognize and write.
Questions about 蕭
How many strokes are in 蕭?
蕭 is written with 17 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 蕭 mean?
蕭 (xiāo) means mournful, desolate; common Artemisa. A common word with it is 萧条 (xiāotiáo), meaning "bleak; desolate; (economics) in a slump; sluggish; depressed".
How do you pronounce 蕭?
蕭 is pronounced xiāo, in the first tone (high and level).
What is the radical of 蕭?
The radical of 蕭 is 艹, which carries the idea of "grass". Dictionaries list 蕭 under this radical.
What is the simplified form of 蕭?
蕭 is a traditional character. Its simplified form is 萧, used in mainland China and Singapore.
Can 蕭條 describe things other than the economy?
Yes. It can describe a bleak, lifeless place, such as an empty street or a wintry landscape. In economics it means a slump or depression.
Is 蕭 used as a family name?
Yes, 蕭 (xiāo) is a common Chinese surname, usually written 萧 in simplified script. In names it carries no sense of sadness.