互 meaning and stroke order
Mutually, reciprocally
How to write 互, stroke by stroke
4 strokes in order. Each box adds the next stroke in red. Write top to bottom and left to right, and finish enclosing strokes last.
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
Meaning of 互
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- mutual
How 互 is built
Ideographic (compound meaning) character. Two hooks hooking eachother.
Radical: 二 (two), shared by 14 characters on this site.
How to remember 互
Picture the top and bottom lines of 二 (èr, two) as two sides, with two hooks in the middle reaching out and catching each other. Two parts hooking into one another is the idea of 互 (hù), mutual.
互 rarely stands alone. It usually appears in words like 互相 (hùxiāng) and 互动 (hùdòng), and in formal compounds such as 互信 (hùxìn). Example: 我们应该互相帮助。(Wǒmen yīnggāi hùxiāng bāngzhù.) We should help each other.
Common mistake: Learners sometimes write the middle as a simple 彐 or 卫 shape. In 互 the middle is two interlocking hook strokes held between the two horizontal lines. Also keep the fourth tone, hù, and do not confuse it with 户 (hù, door), which sounds the same.
Common words with 互
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 互相 | hùxiāng | each other; mutually | HSK 3 |
| 相互 | xiānghù | each other; mutual | HSK 3 |
| 互联网 | hùliánwǎng | Internet | HSK 3 |
| 互动 | hùdòng | to interact; interactive | HSK 6 |
| 互助 | hùzhù | to help each other | HSK 7-9 |
| 互补 | hùbǔ | complementary; to complement each other | HSK 7-9 |
| 互访 | hùfǎng | exchange visits | HSK 7-9 |
| 互信 | hùxìn | mutual trust | HSK 7-9 |
| 互换 | hùhuàn | to exchange | |
| 互利 | hùlì | mutually beneficial |
互 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Questions about 互
How many strokes are in 互?
互 is written with 4 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 互 mean?
互 (hù) means mutually, reciprocally. A common word with it is 互相 (hùxiāng), meaning "each other; mutually".
How do you pronounce 互?
互 is pronounced hù, in the fourth tone (falling).
What is the radical of 互?
The radical of 互 is 二, which carries the idea of "two". Dictionaries list 互 under this radical.
Is 互 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 互 is part of the HSK 3 character list in the HSK 3.0 standard, and you are expected to write it by hand from HSK 3.
What is the difference between 互相 and 相互?
Both mean each other. 互相 (hùxiāng) is more common in speech and usually goes before a verb, as in 互相学习. 相互 (xiānghù) can also go before a verb, and it can describe a noun, as in 相互关系 (mutual relationship).
Why does 互联网 use 互 for the Internet?
互联网 (hùliánwǎng) literally means a mutually connected network. 互 gives the idea that computers link to each other, 联 means connect, and 网 means net.