Word

元宵 (yuán xiāo) — Chinese word meaning

HSK 6

Meaning of 元宵

名 míng noun

Lantern Festival; sweet rice dumplings

每年正月十五，我们一家人都会一起吃元宵。

měi nián zhēng yuè shí wǔ wǒ men yì jiā rén dōu huì yì qǐ chī yuán xiāo

Every year on the 15th of the first lunar month, our whole family eats yuanxiao together.

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Word breakdown

元 yuán — first, primary (referring to the first lunar month)

宵 xiāo — night, evening (the night of the festival)

1 夜宵 yè xiāo — late-night snack HSK 7
- 夜 night (indicates the time when this meal is eaten)
- 宵 night/evening (reinforces the nighttime aspect)
Example

我们去吃夜宵吧，我知道一家很好的面馆。

wǒ men qù chī yè xiāo ba wǒ zhī dao yì jiā hěn hǎo de miàn guǎn

Let's go get a late-night snack, I know a great noodle restaurant.
2 通宵 tōng xiāo — all night HSK 7
- 通 through, throughout
- 宵 night
Example

我们昨晚通宵聊天。

wǒ men zuó wǎn tōng xiāo liáo tiān

We chatted all night last night.

Structure & writing

1 元 yuán — the Yuan dynasty (1271–1368), founded by Kublai Khan

元 is a component in 6 characters

HSK 1

玩 wán to play (a game)

HSK 2

完 wán complete; whole; intact 远 yuǎn far; distant (in space or time, opposite of 近)

HSK 3

园 yuán garden (for growing vegetables, flowers, or fruit)

HSK 5

冠 guàn (lit.) to put on a hat (in ancient times, a capping ceremony at age 20 marked adulthood)

HSK 6

顽 wán stupid; ignorant

consists of

1.1 一 yī — the smallest positive integer; one (①used before a measure word ②used before a noun ③indicates a single action or a brief/tentative action)

一 is a component in 58 characters

HSK 1

下 xià lower position (opposite of 上): ① positioned below (opposite of 上); ② later in order or time; ③ within a certain range, condition, or circumstance 两 liǎng two (used before measure words and 半, 千, 万, 亿) 事 shì matter; affair; everything that happens in nature and society 候 hòu to wait; to await 元 yuán the Yuan dynasty (1271–1368), founded by Kublai Khan

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兴 xīng to be popular; to be in vogue 再 zài twice; a second time 前 qián front; the direction one faces (opposite of 后) 天 tiān sky 子 zǐ child (son or daughter in ancient usage); now specifically son 师 shī teacher; instructor (one who imparts knowledge or skills) 本 běn root or stem of a plant 正 zhèng straight; upright (opposite of crooked or tilted) 百 bǎi hundred (the number 100) 贵 guì expensive; of high value (opposite of 贱)

HSK 2

夫 fū general term for an adult man 画 huà to draw or paint (with a brush or similar tool)

HSK 3

其 qí pronoun: ① he, they ② his, their ③ that, those 合 hé to close; to shut; to bring together (opposite of 开) 夏 xià summer (the second of the four seasons) 带 dài ribbon, strip, or belt-shaped object 应 yìng to reply; to answer

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或 huò perhaps; maybe 更 gēng to change; to replace; to substitute 末 mò tip or end of an object 求 qiú to beg, to implore 演 yǎn to evolve; to change gradually 直 zhí straight; not curved (opposite of 曲) 行 xíng to walk; to go

HSK 4

亚 yà inferior (mostly used in negative constructions) 亲 qīn related by blood or marriage; esp. parents 具 jù tool; utensil; implement 咸 xián (lit.) all; everyone (classical adverb) 断 duàn to break into two or more pieces (of something long)

HSK 5

善 shàn kind; benevolent; charitable (opposite of 恶) 威 wēi authority or power that commands awe and respect 旦 dàn dawn; early morning 未 wèi not yet (opposite of 已) 武 wǔ military; martial (opposite of civil/literary "文")

HSK 6

兼 jiān doubled; combining two portions into one 德 dé morality; ethical standards and norms of conduct 拜 bài to bow or salute as a show of respect 灭 miè go out; stop burning or shining (opposite of 着) 衰 shuāi to decline, to weaken

HSK 7

丘 qiū small hill; mound 丙 bǐng third of the ten Heavenly Stems; used to indicate third in order 丛 cóng to cluster together, to gather in a mass 兹 zī (lit., class.) demonstrative pronoun: this; this one 兽 shòu beast; mammal (generally referring to four-legged, fur-covered mammals)

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拯 zhěng to rescue, to save 朱 zhū vermilion, bright red 胚 pēi embryo; organism in early development, formed from fertilized or unfertilized egg 蒙 méng ignorant, lacking knowledge 贮 zhù to store; to stockpile 逆 nì to go in the opposite direction (opposite of 顺) 遣 qiǎn to dispatch; to send 陋 lòu ugly; unsightly 隆 lóng grand; magnificent

1.2 兀 wù — towering and prominent

兀 is a component in 4 characters

HSK 1

元 yuán the Yuan dynasty (1271–1368), founded by Kublai Khan 西 xī west (one of the four cardinal directions, the side where the sun sets; opposite of '东')

HSK 4

光 guāng light (visible or invisible radiation such as sunlight, lamplight, moonlight, infrared or ultraviolet rays); also called 光波 or 光线微 wēi tiny; slight

Stroke order

2 宵 xiāo — night

宵 is not used as a component in any other character.

consists of

2.1 宀 mián — roof/house radical, shelter

宀 is a component in 48 characters

HSK 1

字 zì written character; word 它 tā third-person pronoun for non-human things; it 宜 yí suitable, appropriate 客 kè guest; visitor (opposite of 主) 家 jiā family; household as a social unit based on marriage and kinship

HSK 2

完 wán complete; whole; intact 室 shì room; chamber

HSK 3

安 ān safe, secure; opposite of '危' 定 dìng calm; stable 实 shí solid, filled completely with no gaps (opposite of "虚") 害 hài harm; disadvantage (opposite of 利、益) 容 róng to contain; to hold; to have capacity for

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宾 bīn guest (opposite of "主" host) 演 yǎn to evolve; to change gradually

HSK 4

寄 jì to entrust; to place one's trust in 富 fù wealthy; rich in resources (opposite of "贫" and "穷") 察 chá to observe closely; to investigate; to examine

HSK 5

守 shǒu to defend, guard (opposite of 攻) 宝 bǎo treasure; precious thing 宠 chǒng to dote on; to indulge with excessive affection (often from a superior to an inferior) 宣 xuān to announce publicly; to spread, disseminate 宽 kuān wide; broad (opposite of narrow)

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宿 sù to lodge; to spend the night; to sleep overnight 寓 yù to reside temporarily; to lodge

HSK 6

宅 zhái residence; dwelling 宏 hóng grand; vast 官 guān government or military official of a certain rank 审 shěn detailed; thorough 宫 gōng palace (residence of emperor, empress, crown prince, etc.)

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宴 yàn to host a banquet; to feast together 宵 xiāo night 寂 jì quiet, silent 寞 mò quiet and desolate; lonely 灾 zāi disaster caused by nature or human activity 牢 láo (lit.) pen or enclosure for livestock or wild animals

HSK 7

奥 ào southwest corner of a house in ancient times; inner recess of a room 宁 níng peaceful; tranquil 宇 yǔ eaves; by extension, a house or building 宗 zōng ancestor 宙 zhòu all time; eternity (past and present)

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宪 xiàn (lit.) laws and decrees 宰 zǎi to oversee; to preside over 寐 mèi (lit.) to fall asleep; to sleep 寝 qǐn to sleep 寡 guǎ widowed (of a woman) 寥 liáo sparse; few 穴 xué cave; pit or hole in the ground or a structure 贮 zhù to store; to stockpile

2.2 肖 xiào — to resemble, to look like

肖 is a component in 12 characters

HSK 4

消 xiāo to gradually diminish until gone; to vanish 稍 shāo slightly; a little

HSK 5

悄 qiāo quiet, silent; (of actions) done without others knowing 销 xiāo to melt metal into liquid

HSK 6

宵 xiāo night

HSK 7

俏 qiào handsome; good-looking; nimble and graceful 削 xuē same meaning as 削 (xiāo), mostly used in compound words or idioms 哨 shào to patrol, to scout 屑 xiè fragments; crumbs; scraps 峭 qiào steep and tall (of a mountain)

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捎 shāo to bring or pass along something incidentally 梢 shāo the thinner end of a strip-like object

Stroke order