锡 meaning and stroke order
Tin (chemistry); to bestow; to confer
How to write 锡, stroke by stroke
13 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 锡
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- tin (chemistry)
- to bestow
- to confer
- to grant
- Taiwan pr. [xi2]
How 锡 is built
Phono-semantic (sound + meaning) character. Metal.
钅 gives the meaning and 易 hints at the sound.
Radical: 钅 (gold), shared by 223 characters on this site.
How to remember 锡
锡 (xī) puts the metal radical 钅 next to 易 (yì), which gives the sound. Think of tin as the metal that is 易 (easy) to melt and shape.
In modern Chinese 锡 mostly means the metal tin, often in words like 锡纸 (xīzhǐ, tinfoil) and 锡箔 (xībó, tin foil). The sense "to bestow" is literary and appears mainly in classical texts. Example: 用锡纸包好。 (Yòng xīzhǐ bāo hǎo.) Wrap it well in tinfoil.
Common mistake: Learners often read 锡 as yì because of the component 易, but the correct reading is xī. Also do not confuse it with 钖 (yáng), which uses 昜 on the right and is a different, rare character.
锡 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Questions about 锡
How many strokes are in 锡?
锡 is written with 13 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 锡 mean?
锡 (xī) means tin (chemistry); to bestow; to confer.
How do you pronounce 锡?
锡 is pronounced xī, in the first tone (high and level).
What is the radical of 锡?
The radical of 锡 is 钅, which carries the idea of "gold". Dictionaries list 锡 under this radical.
What is the traditional form of 锡?
The traditional form of 锡 is 錫. Traditional characters are used in Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau; 锡 is the simplified form used in mainland China and Singapore.
Is 锡 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 锡 is part of the HSK 7-9 character list in the HSK 3.0 standard.
Is 锡纸 really made of tin?
Usually not. Modern 锡纸 is mostly aluminum foil, but the old name stuck. You may also see the more accurate term 铝箔 (lǚbó).
Why is 锡 pronounced xí in Taiwan?
The dictionary notes that the standard reading in Taiwan is second tone, xí. In mainland Mandarin it is first tone, xī. Both refer to the same character and meanings.