合 meaning and stroke order
To close; to join; to fit
How to write 合, stroke by stroke
6 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
Meaning of 合
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- to close
- to join
- to fit
- to be equal to
- whole
- together
- 100 ml
- one-tenth of a peck
- measure for dry grain equal to one-tenth of sheng 升 or liter, or one-hundredth dou 斗
How 合 is built
Components of the character.
Radical: 口 (mouth), shared by 428 characters on this site.
How to remember 合
合 is built from 亼 on top of 口 (mouth, opening). Picture a lid 亼 coming down to close over an opening 口, so the two parts fit together and become one whole.
合 (hé) appears mostly in compound words about fitting, joining, or working together, such as 合适 (héshì), 合作 (hézuò), and 合理 (hélǐ). It can also mean to close, as in 合上书 (hé shàng shū) to close a book. Example: 这件衣服很合适。(Zhè jiàn yīfu hěn héshì.) This piece of clothing fits well.
Common mistake: Learners often mix up 合适 (héshì) and 适合 (shìhé). 合适 is an adjective (这个很合适), while 适合 is a verb that takes an object (这个适合你). Also be careful not to confuse 合 with 会 (huì) or 含 (hán), which have a similar top part.
Common words with 合
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 合适 | héshì | suitable; fitting; appropriate | HSK 2 |
| 合作 | hézuò | to cooperate; to collaborate; to work together | HSK 3 |
| 适合 | shìhé | to fit; to suit | HSK 3 |
| 合法 | héfǎ | lawful; legitimate | HSK 3 |
| 配合 | pèihé | matching; fitting in with | HSK 3 |
| 联合 | liánhé | to combine; to join | HSK 3 |
| 合理 | hélǐ | rational; reasonable; sensible; fair | HSK 3 |
| 组合 | zǔhé | to assemble; to combine; to compose; combination; association; set; compilation | HSK 3 |
| 结合 | jiéhé | to combine; to link | HSK 3 |
| 联合国 | Liánhéguó | United Nations | HSK 3 |
| 场合 | chǎnghé | occasion; situation; context; setting; venue | HSK 3 |
| 合格 | hégé | to meet the standard required; qualified | HSK 3 |
| 合同 | hétóng | contract; agreement | HSK 4 |
| 符合 | fúhé | in accordance with; to agree with; to conform to; to meet (a requirement); (physics) coinc | HSK 4 |
合 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Characters that contain 合
Learning 合 makes these easier to recognize and write.
Questions about 合
How many strokes are in 合?
合 is written with 6 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 合 mean?
合 (hé) means to close; to join; to fit. A common word with it is 合适 (héshì), meaning "suitable; fitting; appropriate".
How do you pronounce 合?
合 is pronounced hé, in the second tone (rising).
What is the radical of 合?
The radical of 合 is 口, which carries the idea of "mouth". Dictionaries list 合 under this radical.
What is the traditional form of 合?
The traditional form of 合 is 閤. Traditional characters are used in Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau; 合 is the simplified form used in mainland China and Singapore.
Is 合 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 合 is part of the HSK 2 character list in the HSK 3.0 standard, and you are expected to write it by hand from HSK 2.
When is 合 pronounced gě instead of hé?
The reading gě is only used for an old unit of measure for dry grain, one-tenth of a 升 (shēng). In everyday modern Chinese you will almost always say hé.
How do you use 合 to mean to close something?
合 means to close by bringing two parts together, like eyes, a book, or a mouth. Common phrases are 合上 (hé shàng) to close and 合眼 (hé yǎn) to close one's eyes. For doors and windows, people usually say 关 (guān) instead.