孀 meaning and stroke order
Widow
How to write 孀, stroke by stroke
20 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 孀
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- (bound form) widow
How 孀 is built
Phono-semantic (sound + meaning) character. Woman.
女 gives the meaning and 霜 hints at the sound.
Radical: 女 (woman), shared by 156 characters on this site.
How to remember 孀
孀 combines 女 (woman) with 霜 (shuāng, frost), which gives the sound. Picture a woman whose life has turned cold as frost after losing her husband.
孀 is a bound form, so it rarely stands alone and mostly appears in formal or written words like 遗孀 (yíshuāng). You will see it in news reports and obituaries. Example: 他的遗孀出席了仪式。(Tā de yíshuāng chūxí le yíshì.) His widow attended the ceremony.
Common mistake: Learners sometimes write 霜 (shuāng, frost) alone when they mean widow, because the two sound identical. Remember that the widow character needs the 女 radical on the left.
Common words with 孀
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 遗孀 | yíshuāng | (formal) widow |
Questions about 孀
How many strokes are in 孀?
孀 is written with 20 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 孀 mean?
孀 (shuāng) means widow. A common word with it is 遗孀 (yíshuāng), meaning "(formal) widow".
How do you pronounce 孀?
孀 is pronounced shuāng, in the first tone (high and level).
What is the radical of 孀?
The radical of 孀 is 女, which carries the idea of "woman". Dictionaries list 孀 under this radical.
What is the everyday word for widow in Chinese?
In daily speech people usually say 寡妇 (guǎfu). 遗孀 (yíshuāng) sounds more formal and respectful, so it suits news, speeches, and writing.
Is there a word with 孀 that describes the state of being widowed?
Yes, 孀居 (shuāngjū) means to live as a widow. It is a literary word found mainly in written Chinese.