康 meaning and stroke order
Health; peace, quiet
How to write 康, stroke by stroke
11 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
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- 11
Meaning of 康
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- healthy
- peaceful
- abundant
How 康 is built
Ideographic (compound meaning) character. A home 广 with a servant 隶.
Radical: 广 (broad), shared by 60 characters on this site.
How to remember 康
Picture a house 广 (guǎng) with a servant 隶 (lì) working inside. A home that has help is calm, healthy, and well supplied, which is what 康 (kāng) means.
康 rarely stands alone in modern Chinese. It mostly appears in words like 健康 (jiànkāng, health; healthy) and 康复 (kāngfù, to recover). Example: 祝你身体健康。(Zhù nǐ shēntǐ jiànkāng.) I wish you good health.
Common mistake: Learners often mix up 康 (kāng) with 唐 (táng), since both sit under 广. The bottom of 康 is 隶 with its little side dots and vertical hook, while 唐 has 口 at the bottom.
Common words with 康
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
康 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Characters that contain 康
Learning 康 makes these easier to recognize and write.
Questions about 康
How many strokes are in 康?
康 is written with 11 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 康 mean?
康 (kāng) means health; peace, quiet. A common word with it is 健康 (jiànkāng), meaning "health; healthy".
How do you pronounce 康?
康 is pronounced kāng, in the first tone (high and level).
What is the radical of 康?
The radical of 康 is 广, which carries the idea of "broad". Dictionaries list 康 under this radical.
Is 康 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 康 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.
How do I say 'Get well soon' in Chinese?
Say 早日康复 (zǎorì kāngfù). It is the standard phrase for cards, messages, or visits to someone who is sick or recovering.
What does 小康 mean in Chinese news?
小康 (xiǎokāng) means moderately well-off. It describes a household or society where basic needs are met and life is comfortable, but not rich.