Common Meanings
1
xīn芯
Pith or peeled rush, especially used as a lamp wick.
他剪短了灯芯，让火焰更亮
He trimmed the wick to make the flame brighter.
The core or central part of certain objects, such as a rock core or an ore core.
地质学家们正在研究一块从深处取出的岩芯样本。
Geologists are studying a rock core sample extracted from deep underground.
2
xìn芯
A wick or core placed inside an object, such as a candle wick or a fuse.
这支蜡烛的芯儿很短。
The wick of this candle is very short.
The core or filament of an object (e.g., a candle wick), sometimes metaphorically likened to a snake's tongue due to its slender shape.
这蜡烛的芯很细。
The wick of this candle is very thin.