央 meaning and stroke order
Central; to beg; to run out
How to write 央, 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 央
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- center
- end
- to beg
- to plead
How 央 is built
Components of the character.
Radical: 大 (big), shared by 46 characters on this site.
How to remember 央
Picture a person 大 (dà) standing with arms spread, right in the middle of a frame 冂. The person stands at the center of the frame, so 央 means central.
央 rarely appears alone in modern Chinese. You mostly meet it in words like 中央 (zhōngyāng, central) and 央求 (yāngqiú, to beg). Example: 他站在房间中央。(Tā zhàn zài fángjiān zhōngyāng.) He is standing in the middle of the room.
Common mistake: Learners often confuse 央 with 英 (yīng), which has the grass radical on top and appears in 英国 (Yīngguó, Britain). Also keep the first tone: yāng, not yáng like 羊 (sheep).
Common words with 央
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 中央 | zhōngyāng | central; middle | HSK 5 |
央 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Characters that contain 央
Learning 央 makes these easier to recognize and write.
Questions about 央
How many strokes are in 央?
央 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 央 mean?
央 (yāng) means central; to beg; to run out. A common word with it is 中央 (zhōngyāng), meaning "central; middle".
How do you pronounce 央?
央 is pronounced yāng, in the first tone (high and level).
What is the radical of 央?
The radical of 央 is 大, which carries the idea of "big". Dictionaries list 央 under this radical.
Is 央 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 央 is part of the HSK 5 character list in the HSK 3.0 standard, and you are expected to write it by hand from HSK 3.
What does 央求 mean and how is it different from 请求?
央求 (yāngqiú) means to beg or plead earnestly, often in a personal, emotional way. 请求 (qǐngqiú) is a more neutral, formal request.
Why is China's state TV called 央视?
央视 (Yāngshì) is short for 中央电视台 (Zhōngyāng Diànshìtái), China Central Television. Here 央 comes from 中央, meaning central or national government level.