号 meaning and stroke order
(literary) to call out; to command; (bound form) bugle; trumpet; (bound form) signal; bugle call (e.g. 起床號|起床号[qi3 chuang2 hao4])
How to write 号, stroke by stroke
5 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
Meaning of 号
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- (literary) to call out; to command
- (bound form) bugle; trumpet
- (bound form) signal; bugle call (e.g. 起床號|起床号[qi3 chuang2 hao4])
- (bound form) mark; sign
- to mark; to label; to assign a number
- (bound form) name; appellation (e.g. 國號|国号[guo2 hao4], 年號|年号[nian2 hao4], 遼寧號|辽宁号[Liao2 ning2 Hao4])
- (bound form) to wail; to howl
How 号 is built
Phono-semantic (sound + meaning) character. Mouth.
口 gives the meaning and 丂 hints at the sound.
Radical: 口 (mouth), shared by 428 characters on this site.
How to remember 号
号 is a mouth 口 on top of 丂, which gives the sound. Picture a mouth calling out a number, like someone shouting your ticket number at a counter.
号 (hào) is very common for numbers, dates, and sizes, as in 号码 (hàomǎ) number and 几号 (jǐ hào) what date. It also appears in words about signs and calls, like 信号 (xìnhào) signal and 口号 (kǒuhào) slogan. Example: 今天几号？(Jīntiān jǐ hào?) What is the date today?
Common mistake: Learners often confuse 号 with 写 (xiě, to write), because the bottom parts look alike. Remember 号 has a mouth 口 on top, while 写 has a cover 冖 on top.
Common words with 号
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 信号 | xìnhào | signal | HSK 2 |
| 号码 | hàomǎ | number | HSK 4 |
| 符号 | fúhào | symbol; mark; sign | HSK 4 |
| 型号 | xínghào | model (particular version of a manufactured article); type (product specification in terms | HSK 4 |
| 括号 | kuòhào | parentheses; brackets | HSK 4 |
| 口号 | kǒuhào | slogan; catchphrase | HSK 5 |
| 称号 | chēnghào | name; term of address | HSK 5 |
| 号召 | hàozhào | to call; to appeal | HSK 5 |
| 车号 | chēhào | vehicle number (license plate number, taxi number, bus number, train car number) | HSK 6 |
| 编号 | biānhào | to number; to assign numbers; serial number | HSK 7-9 |
| 代号 | dàihào | code name | HSK 7-9 |
| 头号 | tóuhào | first rate; top rank | HSK 7-9 |
| 绰号 | chuòhào | nickname | HSK 7-9 |
| 记号 | jìhao | mark; symbol | HSK 7-9 |
号 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Characters that contain 号
Learning 号 makes these easier to recognize and write.
Questions about 号
How many strokes are in 号?
号 is written with 5 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 号 mean?
号 (hào) means (literary) to call out; to command; (bound form) bugle; trumpet; (bound form) signal; bugle call (e.g. 起床號|起床号[qi3 chuang2 hao4]). A common word with it is 信号 (xìnhào), meaning "signal".
How do you pronounce 号?
号 is pronounced hào, in the fourth tone (falling).
What is the radical of 号?
The radical of 号 is 口, which carries the idea of "mouth". Dictionaries list 号 under this radical.
What is the traditional form of 号?
The traditional form of 号 is 號. Traditional characters are used in Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau; 号 is the simplified form used in mainland China and Singapore.
Is 号 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 号 is part of the HSK 1 character list in the HSK 3.0 standard, and you are expected to write it by hand from HSK 1.
What is the difference between 号 and 日 for dates?
In speech, people usually say 号 (hào) for the day of the month, as in 五月三号 (wǔ yuè sān hào) May 3rd. In writing and formal contexts, 日 (rì) is more common, as in 五月三日.
When is 号 pronounced háo instead of hào?
It is read háo when it means to wail or howl, as in 号叫 (háojiào) to howl and 哀号 (āiháo) to wail in grief. For numbers, signs, and dates, it is always hào.