硒
xī
The English word "selenium" is translated into Mandarin as 硒 (xī).
硒 is the noun used to refer to the chemical element selenium.
Meaning: chemical element (noun)
How do you pronounce it?
The romanization is xī.
Did you know?
- The combination of the 'stone' radical and the 'west' phonetic is a very efficient way to create a new word for modern science using traditional character-building logic.
- In Mandarin, the phonetic component 西 (xī) also means 'west'. This creates a visual connection between the element and the direction 'west' through its sound, even though they are conceptually unrelated.
- While 'selenium' is a scientific term, the character 硒 is constructed using the radical 石, which means 'stone' or 'rock'. This reflects the historical classification of many chemical elements as minerals found in the earth.
Examples in context
- 这种食物含有丰富的硒。This food is rich in selenium.
- 我们需要进一步研究硒的功效。We need further research on the benefits of selenium.
- 这个保健品富含硒元素。This supplement is rich in selenium.
- 今天我吃了一点含硒化物的食物。Today I had some food that contains selenium.
- 这种药里含有硒。zhè zhǒng yào lǐ hán yǒu xī.This medicine contains selenium.
- 硒是一种微量元素。xī shì yī zhǒng wēi liàng yuán sù.Selenium is a trace element.
Example conversation
A woman is asking a man about dietary supplements.
- 俊杰 Junjie这款补剂里有硒吗？zhè kuǎn bǔ jì lǐ yǒu xī ma?Does this supplement contain selenium?
- 晓雯 Xiaowen有的，含硒量很合适。yǒu de, hán xī liàng hěn hé shì.Yes, the selenium content is very appropriate.
- 俊杰 Junjie那对我身体好吗？nà duì wǒ shēn tǐ hǎo ma?Is that good for my body?
- 晓雯 Xiaowen对人体很有好处。duì rén tǐ hěn yǒu hǎo chù.It is very beneficial for the human body.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “selenium” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
