種 (zhǒng) - Meaning, Stroke Order & Audio

種

zhǒng[zhong3]Tone 3

seed, kind, type

HSK 3

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种

Multiple Readings (多音字):

Guru Deep Dive

English · seed, kind, type

Cached lesson

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Topology:Left-right

Strokes:9

Writing Balance Rule: The left radical (禾) should be slightly narrower and compressed, leaving ample space for the right component (重) to maintain structural equilibrium.

Simplification Logic: The traditional form 種 uses 申 inside the right component, which was simplified to 里 in the modern character 种.

1. Meaning

Seed, plant seed; a kind, type, or species

To plant, cultivate, or grow (when read as zhòng)Classifier for kinds, sorts, or varieties

Noun / Measure Word / VerbNeutral#botany#nature#categorization#agriculture

Sample Usage

这是一种新的植物。
zhè shì yī zhǒng xīn de zhíwù.
This is a new kind of plant.
农民在田里种地。
nóngmín zài tián lǐ zhòng dì.
Farmers farm (plant the earth) in the fields.

2. Sound

/[ʈʂʊŋ²¹⁴]/Tone: 214

種

zhǒngzhong3

ˇ(214)

=zhǒng

Initial Consonant

Type: Unaspirated Retroflex

Sounds like: j/dr retroflex sound

UnaspiratedRetroflex

Airflow Tactile Test: No burst of air. Tongue curled up. Tissue stays still.

Tongue & Mouth Position: Tongue tip curled back near hard palate

Final Rhyme

ong

Vowel Group: -o vowel group

Sounds like: -ong rhymes with rung

Mouth Shape Guide: Combine initial 'h-' (h) with final '-ong' (oong).

Common Learner Trap: Keep vowel quality steady across all 4 tone contours.

Tone

T3 (214)

2 → 1 → 4 (214)

3rd Tone (Low-Dipping)

Tone Pitch & Cadence: Tone 3 starts mid, dips low into the throat, and rises up, exactly like asking 'What?' in disbelief.

Sandhi: When followed by another 3rd tone, zhǒng changes to a 2nd tone (zhóng).

👂

Listening trap: Confusing the retroflex initial zh- with the dental sibilant z- (e.g. zǒng vs. zhǒng).

👋

Physical Tone Gesture: Trace a checkmark in the air: start medium-high, dip down low to your chest, and sweep back up to the right.

3. Writing

Topology: Left-right · Strokes: 9 strokes

Writing Balance Rule: The left radical (禾) should be slightly narrower and compressed, leaving ample space for the right component (重) to maintain structural equilibrium.

Simplification Logic: The traditional form 種 uses 申 inside the right component, which was simplified to 里 in the modern character 种.

4. Components

Radical 禾 · Cereal grain / Grain radical (Cereal plant, grain)

Semantic Clue (形旁): 禾 (Indicates plants, crops, and agriculture related to seeds.)

Phonetic Clue (声旁): 重 (original sound: zhòng)

A grain plant (禾) coupled with something heavy or profound (重)—like a heavy head of grain packed full of seeds ready to fall.

禾 Grain plant semantic indicator
重 Phonetic and weight indicator

Phonetic Family (形声字家族)

8· Phonetic Root: 重 (chóng)

5. History

Liushu category: Phono-semantic (形声)

Origin: Originally combined 禾 (grain) to denote crops and agriculture with 重 providing the phonetic sound and the sense of weight or layering.

Semantic Evolution: Shifted from specific grain seeds to seeds in general, then generalized further into kinds, types, and categories of things.

The character bridges agrarian roots with abstract categorization.

6. Sinosphere

🇻🇳

Sino-Vietnamese

chủng

The Chinese 3rd tone corresponds roughly to the Vietnamese hỏi or ngã tone.

🇯🇵

Kanji (Japanese)

On: シュウ (shū) / Kun: たね (tane)

🇰🇷

Hanja (Korean)

종

7. Memory

Vivid Mnemonic Story

Picture a heavy (重) cereal grain stalk (禾) bowing down because its seeds (种) are so numerous and precious.

Phonetic Family (形声字家族)

种

zhǒngseed / typeStandard character with grain radical

肿

zhǒngswollenReplaces grain radical with meat/flesh radical (月), indicating swollen body flesh.

仲

zhòngmiddle / intermediaryReplaces grain radical with person radical (亻), meaning a middle person.

Lookalikes & Traps (形近字)

钟(zhōng)

钟 features the metal radical (钅), meaning clock or bell, whereas 种 has the grain radical (禾) for seeds.

8. Mastery

Active Recall Challenge

貓是這世界上非常受歡迎的一[___]動物。

Clue: zhǒng

Common Learner Pitfall

Confusing the tone when using it as a verb (zhòng - to plant) versus a noun/classifier (zhǒng - seed/type).

Memory Prompts

Recognition: What does 种 mean when paired with the grain radical 禾?

Production: How do you write the character for 'seed' or 'type' (zhǒng)?

種zhǒngseed, kind, type

Speed:

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