藝 is the character for “art”. It is made out of 18 strokes.
| Chinese Character | Simplified Version | Bopomofo | Pinyin |
|---|---|---|---|
| 藝 | 艺 | ㄧˋ | yì |


Definition
Art; skill
Historical Origins
The character 藝 was originally written as 埶, with the components 艸 (“grass; plant”) and 云 being added later. 埶 is an ideogrammic compound formed by 坴 and 丮 (“to hold”), conveying the meaning of “planting.”
The component 坴, representing soil, originated from a corruption of 木 (“tree” or “wood”). The 丸 in the character, on the other hand, evolved from 丮, symbolizing the act of holding. Together, the original character depicted a kneeling person planting a sapling (木) into the soil (土), vividly illustrating the concept of cultivation or nurturing growth.

Vocabulary with the Character 藝
| Chinese | Bopomofo | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|---|
| 藝術 | ㄧˋ ㄕㄨˋ | yìshù | Art |
| 工藝 | ㄍㄨㄥ ㄧˋ | gōngyì | Craft; Handicraft |
| 技藝 | ㄐㄧˋ ㄧˋ | jìyì | Skill; Craftsmanship |
| 文藝 | ㄨㄣˊ ㄧˋ | wényì | Literature and Art |
| 藝術展 | ㄧˋ ㄕㄨˋ ㄓㄢˇ | yìshùzhǎn | Art Exhibition |
| 園藝 | ㄩㄢˊ ㄧˋ | yuányì | Gardening; Horticulture |

Join our Substack “Mandarin Zest“, where we regularly share intermediate to advanced Chinese learning content. Make sure to subscribe!