How to Write 瀣 (xiè) — Meaning “mist; vapor”

Think of the common idiom 沆瀣一气 (hàng xiè yī qì), which means to be in cahoots. Imagine two clouds of mist (water radical) joining together to form a conspiracy—this helps you remember that 瀣 means mist.

Start with the left water radical (three strokes: dot, dot, rising). Then write the complex right side carefully, keeping it balanced and not too tall. A common mistake is to make the right side too wide or to misplace the small strokes inside the upper part.

The key difference is the right-side component. 濞 has 鼻 (nose) and means a water name, while 濠 has 豪 (hero) and means a moat. 瀣 has a unique right side that gives the sound xiè, and it specifically means mist or vapor.

瀣 is very rare on its own and appears almost exclusively in the idiom 沆瀣一气 (hàng xiè yī qì), meaning to act in collusion. This idiom comes from a Tang dynasty story about two exam officials working together dishonestly, so the character carries that cultural reference.

Common words containing 瀣 include: 沆瀣 (hàng xiè) — Mist / Dew; 瀣气 (xiè qì) — mist; evening vapor; 沆瀣一气 (hàng xiè yī qì) — to act in collusion; to be in cahoots.