Meaning of 松
Definitions from CC-CEDICT.
- loose
- to loosen
- to relax
- floss (dry, fluffy food product made from shredded, seasoned meat or fish, used as a topping or filling)
- pine
Measure word: 棵
- surname Song
How to use 松
As an adjective or verb, 松 means loose or to loosen, and it appears in common words like 放松 (fàngsōng, to relax) and 轻松 (qīngsōng, easy, light). It also means pine, usually in 松树 (sōngshù). Example: 这条裤子有点松。(Zhè tiáo kùzi yǒudiǎn sōng.) These pants are a bit loose.
松 combines 木 (wood, tree) on the left with 公 (gōng) on the right, which hints at the sound sōng. Picture an old, public tree, the pine, whose needles hang loose and relaxed in the wind.
Common mistake: Learners often write the right side as 心 or 么 instead of 公, which has 八 on top and 厶 below. Also keep the tone first tone: sōng, not sòng like 送 (to send).
松 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Stroke order for each character
Open a character for its meaning, components and more words.
松 sōng · loose · 8 strokes
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Related words
Words that share a character with 松.
| 放松 | fàngsōng | to relax; to slacken; to loosen |
| 轻松 | qīngsōng | light; gentle |
| 松树 | sōngshù | pine; pine tree |
| 松绑 | sōngbǎng | to untie; (fig.) to ease restrictions |
| 宽松 | kuānsōng | spacious; roomy; uncrowded; (of clothes) loose and comfortable |
| 松弛 | sōngchí | to relax; relaxed |
| 松鼠 | sōngshǔ | squirrel |
| 松开 | sōngkāi | to release; to let go |
| 松饼 | sōngbǐng | muffin; pancake |
| 松手 | sōngshǒu | to relinquish one's grip; to let go |
| 马拉松 | mǎlāsōng | (loanword) marathon |
| 杜松子酒 | dùsōngzǐjiǔ | gin |
Questions about 松
What does 松 mean?
松 (sōng) means "loose; to loosen" and is used as a adjective and verb.
How do you write 松?
松 is made of 1 character: 松 (8 strokes). That is 8 strokes in total.
Is 松 an HSK word?
Yes. 松 is on the HSK 4 vocabulary list of the HSK 3.0 standard.
How is 松 written in traditional Chinese?
In traditional characters, 松 is written 鬆.
What is the difference between 放松 and 轻松?
放松 (fàngsōng) is a verb meaning to relax or loosen something, like 放松一下 (relax a bit). 轻松 (qīngsōng) is an adjective describing something easy or carefree, like 工作很轻松 (the work is easy).
What does 松 mean on food menus?
It means floss, a dry, fluffy topping made from shredded, seasoned meat or fish. You will often see 肉松 (ròusōng, meat floss) on buns and rice dishes.