芥
Character learning workspace

gài / jiè · mustard, broccoli

Master the form, understand its parts, and learn how it behaves in real Chinese.

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Learn every stroke in 芥

Replay the complete order, pause on difficult movements, inspect one stroke at a time, then write it yourself with live correction.

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Stroke graphics: Make Me a Hanzi / Arphic Public License
Sound changes meaning

Readings & meanings

芥 has 2 dictionary pronunciations. The examples show how each reading behaves in real words.

gài

see 芥藍|芥蓝[gai4 lan2]

芥蓝gài lán · Chinese broccoli
jiè

mustard

芥菜jiè cài · leaf mustard
Step-by-step explorer

See how 芥 is constructed

Switch between the accumulated form and the isolated movement of each stroke.

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Writing notes

Shape and proportion

7Total strokes

Count each continuous pen movement once, including turns and hooks.

Top-bottomCharacter structure

Keep the upper section balanced above the lower section.

艹Key radical

Use the highlighted radical in the animation as a visual anchor for remembering the form.

Print and practise

Download a 芥 writing sheet

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Includes the stroke sequence, progressive tracing, and blank writing squares. Generated locally in your browser.

Vocabulary in context

Common words with 芥

Open a word for its full breakdown, or listen before reading the meaning.

Read and listen

Example sentences

Notice where 芥 sits in each complete thought.

Bú yào jiā tài duō jièmo.不要加太多芥末。

Easy on the mustard.

Source: Tatoeba #1365932 · CC BY 2.0 FR
Chī wǔ fàn de shí hòu, yì tuó jièmo jiàng dī xià lái nòng zāng le wǒ de lǐng dài.吃午饭的时候,一坨芥末酱滴下来弄脏了我的领带。

A drop of mustard fell and stained my tie during lunch.

Source: Tatoeba #812285 · CC BY 2.0 FR
Turn reference into recall

How to study 芥 in context

  1. Say gài / jiè, then recall the core meaning: mustard, broccoli.
  2. Write all 7 strokes while keeping the top-bottom balanced.
  3. Use it in 芥菜 (jiè cài), meaning “leaf mustard”.
  4. Read the complete sentence aloud once, then cover the translation and explain how 芥 works in that context.

Definitions and traditional forms are compiled from Make Me a Hanzi, HSK curriculum data, and CC-CEDICT. Sourced example sentences link to Tatoeba; editorial examples are labeled separately. Review data sources and licenses.