封 meaning and stroke order
To confer; to grant; to bestow a title
How to write 封, 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 封
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- to confer
- to grant
- to bestow a title
- to seal
- classifier for sealed objects, esp. letters
How 封 is built
Ideographic (compound meaning) character. To seal 寸 something with a handful of mortar 土.
Radical: 寸 (inch), shared by 18 characters on this site.
How to remember 封
The left side 圭 is two piles of earth 土 stacked up, and the right side 寸 is a hand. Picture a hand pressing a handful of mortar onto something to seal it shut, which is why 封 (fēng) means to seal.
封 is very common as a measure word for letters and emails, and it appears in words about sealing or closing, like 信封 (xìnfēng, envelope) and 封闭 (fēngbì, to seal off). Example: 我给她写了一封信。(Wǒ gěi tā xiě le yì fēng xìn.) I wrote her a letter.
Common mistake: Learners sometimes write the left side as a single 土 or as 主, but it is two 土 stacked to make 圭. Also do not confuse 封 (fēng) with 风 (fēng, wind) or 丰 (fēng, abundant), which share the same sound.
Common words with 封
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 信封 | xìnfēng | envelope | HSK 3 |
| 封闭 | fēngbì | to close; to seal off; to close down (an illegal venue) | HSK 4 |
| 封锁 | fēngsuǒ | to blockade; to seal off | HSK 7-9 |
| 封面 | fēngmiàn | cover (of a publication) | HSK 7-9 |
| 密封 | mìfēng | to seal up | HSK 7-9 |
| 封建 | fēngjiàn | system of enfeoffment; feudalism | HSK 7-9 |
| 封顶 | fēngdǐng | to put a roof (on a building); to cap the roof (finishing a building project) | HSK 7-9 |
| 封印 | fēngyìn | seal (on envelopes) | |
| 冰封 | bīngfēng | to freeze over; to ice over | |
| 封存 | fēngcún | to sequester; to seal up (for safe keeping) | |
| 查封 | cháfēng | to sequester; to seize (assets) | |
| 封口 | fēngkǒu | to keep one's lips sealed; (of a wound) to heal |
封 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Characters that contain 封
Learning 封 makes these easier to recognize and write.
Questions about 封
How many strokes are in 封?
封 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 封 mean?
封 (fēng) means to confer; to grant; to bestow a title. A common word with it is 信封 (xìnfēng), meaning "envelope".
How do you pronounce 封?
封 is pronounced fēng, in the first tone (high and level).
What is the radical of 封?
The radical of 封 is 寸, which carries the idea of "inch". Dictionaries list 封 under this radical.
Is 封 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 封 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 3.
Can 封 be used as a measure word for emails?
Yes. 一封邮件 (yì fēng yóujiàn) is the normal way to say one email, just like 一封信 for a letter.
What does 封建 mean when people use it in everyday speech?
Literally 封建 (fēngjiàn) refers to the feudal system, where rulers granted land and titles. In casual speech people also call old-fashioned or conservative ideas 封建, as in 你太封建了 (nǐ tài fēngjiàn le), you are too old-fashioned.