厚 meaning and stroke order
Thick; deep or profound; kind
How to write 厚, stroke by stroke
9 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
- 5
- 6
- 7
- 8
- 9
Meaning of 厚
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- thick
- deep or profound
- kind
- generous
- rich or strong in flavor
- to favor
How 厚 is built
Ideographic (compound meaning) character. Sunlight 日 and children 子 in a building 厂.
Radical: 厂 (cliff), shared by 29 characters on this site.
How to remember 厚
Picture a building 厂 that holds warm sunlight 日 and a child 子 inside. A home full of sun and children feels rich and solid, which is the idea of 厚 (hòu): thick, deep, and generous.
厚 describes physical thickness, like a thick book or thick clothes, and also deep feelings or generous treatment. Its opposite is 薄 (báo). Example: 这本书很厚。(Zhè běn shū hěn hòu.) This book is very thick.
Common mistake: Learners often confuse 厚 with 原 (yuán), which also sits under 厂. The difference is inside: 厚 has 日 over 子, while 原 has 白 over 小. Also remember 厚 is fourth tone, hòu, not hóu like 猴 (monkey).
Common words with 厚
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 深厚 | shēnhòu | deep; profound | HSK 4 |
| 丰厚 | fēnghòu | generous; ample | HSK 7-9 |
| 厚道 | hòudao | kind and honest; generous | HSK 7-9 |
| 厚度 | hòudù | thickness | HSK 7-9 |
| 醇厚 | chúnhòu | mellow and rich; simple and kind | HSK 7-9 |
| 敦厚 | dūnhòu | genuine; honest and sincere | HSK 7-9 |
| 宽厚 | kuānhòu | tolerant; generous | HSK 7-9 |
| 浓厚 | nónghòu | dense; thick (fog, clouds etc) | HSK 7-9 |
| 雄厚 | xiónghòu | substantial; robust; ample; abundant | HSK 7-9 |
| 得天独厚 | détiāndúhòu | blessed by heaven (idiom); enjoying exceptional advantages | HSK 7-9 |
| 无可厚非 | wúkěhòufēi | see 未可厚非[wei4 ke3 hou4 fei1] | HSK 7-9 |
| 厚颜无耻 | hòuyánwúchǐ | shameless | |
| 厚脸皮 | hòuliǎnpí | brazen; shameless | |
| 厚重 | hòuzhòng | thick; heavy |
厚 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Questions about 厚
How many strokes are in 厚?
厚 is written with 9 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 厚 mean?
厚 (hòu) means thick; deep or profound; kind. A common word with it is 深厚 (shēnhòu), meaning "deep; profound".
How do you pronounce 厚?
厚 is pronounced hòu, in the fourth tone (falling).
What is the radical of 厚?
The radical of 厚 is 厂, which carries the idea of "cliff". Dictionaries list 厚 under this radical.
Is 厚 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 厚 is part of the HSK 4 character list in the HSK 3.0 standard, and you are expected to write it by hand from HSK 3.
How do I say a friendship is deep using 厚?
Use 深厚 (shēnhòu), as in 他们的友谊很深厚 (tāmen de yǒuyì hěn shēnhòu), their friendship is very deep. It is common for feelings, friendships, and cultural foundations.
What does 厚道 mean when describing a person?
厚道 (hòudao) means kind, honest, and fair to others. Saying 这个人很厚道 is a warm compliment, and 不厚道 is a common way to say someone acted unfairly or unkindly.