何 meaning and stroke order
What, why, where, which, how
How to write 何, stroke by stroke
7 strokes in order. Each box adds the next stroke in red. Write top to bottom and left to right, and finish enclosing strokes last.
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Meaning of 何
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- what
- how
- why
- which
- carry
How 何 is built
Components of the character.
Radical: 亻 (man), shared by 277 characters on this site.
How to remember 何
何 is a person 亻 next to 可 (kě, can). Picture a person asking "Can I?" and you get a character for questions like what, how and why.
何 (hé) is a formal, written question word. In everyday speech people say 什么 (shénme) or 为什么 (wèishénme) instead, but 何 lives on in very common words like 任何 (rènhé) and 如何 (rúhé). Example: 你觉得如何？(Nǐ juéde rúhé?) What do you think?
Common mistake: Learners often confuse 何 (hé) with 河 (hé, river), which has the water radical 氵 instead of the person radical 亻. They sound the same, so check the left side when you write.
Common words with 何
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 任何 | rènhé | any; whatever; whichever | HSK 3 |
| 如何 | rúhé | how; what way | HSK 3 |
| 为何 | wèihé | why | HSK 6 |
| 何时 | hé shí | when | HSK 7-9 |
| 无论如何 | wúlùn-rúhé | (idiom) whatever the case; in any event; no matter what; by all possible means | HSK 7-9 |
| 何必 | hébì | there is no need; why should | HSK 7-9 |
| 何处 | hé chù | whence; where | HSK 7-9 |
| 何况 | hékuàng | let alone; to say nothing of | HSK 7-9 |
| 何苦 | hékǔ | why bother?; is it worth the trouble? | HSK 7-9 |
| 无可奈何 | wúkěnàihé | have no way out; have no alternative | HSK 7-9 |
| 何不 | hébù | why not?; why not do (sth)? | |
| 何方 | héfāng | where? | |
| 有何贵干 | yǒuhéguìgàn | What (noble errand) brings you here?; May I help you? | |
| 何在 | hézài | where?; what place? |
何 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Characters that contain 何
Learning 何 makes these easier to recognize and write.
Questions about 何
How many strokes are in 何?
何 is written with 7 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 何 mean?
何 (hé) means what, why, where, which, how. A common word with it is 任何 (rènhé), meaning "any; whatever; whichever".
How do you pronounce 何?
何 is pronounced hé, in the second tone (rising).
What is the radical of 何?
The radical of 何 is 亻, which carries the idea of "man". Dictionaries list 何 under this radical.
Is 何 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 何 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.
Can I use 何 alone to ask "what" in conversation?
Not usually. On its own, 何 sounds classical or bookish, so in speech use 什么 (shénme). Keep 何 for set words like 何时 (hé shí) or 为何 (wèihé), which are common in writing and formal speech.
How is 何况 (hékuàng) used in a sentence?
何况 means "let alone" and introduces a stronger case after a weaker one. Example: 大人都搬不动，何况孩子。(Dàrén dōu bān bu dòng, hékuàng háizi.) Even adults can't move it, let alone children.