HanziGuru.氢 · qīng
氢
qīng[qing1]Tone 1

hydrogen

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氫
Guru Deep Dive

English · hydrogen

Cached lesson
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Topology:Left-right
Strokes:9
Writing Balance Rule: The left radical (气) is compressed and sits slightly higher, while the right component (青) is broader and anchors the base, ensuring even horizontal width distribution.
Simplification Logic: The traditional form 氫 combines 氣 (gas) with 青 (green/clear phonetic). The simplified form 氢 uses the simplified gas radical 气 on the left while keeping 青 on the right.
1. Meaning

hydrogen

lightest chemical element
NounNeutral#chemistry#science#elements
Sample Usage
  • 氢气是一种很轻的气体。
    qīng qì shì yī zhǒng hěn qīng de qì tǐ.
    Hydrogen is a very light gas.
  • 水是由氢和氧组成的。
    shuǐ shì yóu qīng hé yǎng zǔ chéng de.
    Water is composed of hydrogen and oxygen.
2. Sound
/[t͡ɕʰɪŋ˥˥]/Tone: 55
氢
qīngqing1
++
¯(55)
=qīng
Build the syllable
Step-by-step blending
qing
Tone mark placement: Tone mark sits on "i" per main-vowel priority (a > e > o; in -iu/-ui the mark takes the second vowel).
Say it like:“ching”Close approximationTone pitch cue:flat, high
Key difference: Mandarin q is aspirated alveolo-palatal [tɕʰ]; English 'ching' is postalveolar.
Initial Consonant
q
Type: Aspirated Alveolo-Palatal
Sounds like: ch sound produced with the tongue blade near the alveolar ridge and hard palate
Aspirated
Airflow Tactile Test: Extremely strong burst of breath! Tissue held before mouth MUST fly.
Tongue & Mouth Position: Tongue blade approaches the hard palate while the tip rests behind the lower front teeth
Final Rhyme
ing
Vowel Group: -i vowel group
Sounds like: -ing rhymes with sing
Mouth Shape Guide: Pronounce as standalone vowel 'eeng'.
Common Learner Trap: Keep vowel quality steady across all 4 tone contours.
Tone
T1 (55)
1st Tone (High-Flat)
Tone Pitch & Cadence: Tone 1 is a high, steady pitch maintained without rising or falling, comparable to a musical note sustained on a single pitch.
👂
Listening trap: Confusing the aspirated palatal 'q' with the retroflex 'zh' or dental sibilant 'c'. Remember 'q' is produced further forward on the palate with a sharp breath release.
👋
Physical Tone Gesture: A high, flat horizontal line in front of your face, like a drone hovering steadily at eye level.
3. Writing

Topology: Left-right · Strokes: 9 strokes

Writing Balance Rule: The left radical (气) is compressed and sits slightly higher, while the right component (青) is broader and anchors the base, ensuring even horizontal width distribution.

Simplification Logic: The traditional form 氫 combines 氣 (gas) with 青 (green/clear phonetic). The simplified form 氢 uses the simplified gas radical 气 on the left while keeping 青 on the right.

4. Components

Radical 气 · Air / Gas radical (Vapor, air, or gas)

Semantic Clue (形旁): 气 (Indicates that the substance is a gas.)

Phonetic Clue (声旁): 青 (original sound: qīng)

The gas radical (气) meets the sound-clue component (青, meaning pure or green), indicating a pure, light gas: hydrogen.

  • 气 Semantic indicator for gas
  • 青 Phonetic indicator providing the sound 'qīng'
5. History
Liushu category: Phono-semantic (形声)

Origin: A modern chemical character coined in the 19th century by Chinese scientists translating Western scientific terminology, pairing the gas radical with the phonetic component for 'clear/light' (青).

Semantic Evolution: Created specifically to designate the chemical element hydrogen, capturing both its gaseous state and its property of being the lightest element.

  • Invented during the systematic translation of the periodic table into Chinese characters.
6. Sinosphere
7. Memory
Vivid Mnemonic Story

Imagine a balloon filled with a CLEAR (青) GAS (气) floating high up in the sky at a HIGH LEVEL (Tone 1) pitch, effortlessly lifting off the ground because it is pure HYDROGEN.

Phonetic Family (形声字家族)
工
gōngworkPhonetic Core (声旁)
空
kōngempty, sky, air+ 穴 (cave)
红
hóngred+ 纟 (silk)
经
jīngclassics, scripture, to pass through, warp+ 纟 (silk)
Explore this family →
Lookalikes & Traps (形近字)
轻(qīng)
轻 means 'light in weight' and uses the vehicle radical (车) on the left instead of the gas radical (气).
8. Mastery
Active Recall Challenge
太阳主要是由[___]和氦组成的。
Clue: qīng
Common Learner Pitfall

Confusing 氢 (qīng - hydrogen) with 轻 (qīng - light weight), since they share the exact same pronunciation and tone.

Memory Prompts
Recognition: When you see the gas radical combined with 青, what element does it represent?
Production: How do you write the character for 'hydrogen' (qīng) using the gas radical and phonetic component?
Real-World Video Context

Watch authentic native speakers pronounce and explain this word in real-world YouTube videos.

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