徊 meaning and stroke order
To linger, to pace; irresolute
How to write 徊, 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 徊
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- used in 徘徊[pai2 huai2]
How 徊 is built
Ideographic (compound meaning) character. To pace 彳 back and forth 回; 回 also provides the pronunciation.
Radical: 彳 (to step with the left foot), shared by 42 characters on this site.
How to remember 徊
The left part 彳 means walking or a step, and 回 (huí) means to go back or turn around. Picture someone stepping forward, then turning back again and again, pacing in place.
徊 almost never appears alone. It lives inside the word 徘徊 (páihuái), which means to pace back and forth, or to hesitate between choices. Example: 他在门口徘徊了很久。(Tā zài ménkǒu páihuái le hěn jiǔ.) He paced at the door for a long time.
Common mistake: Learners often read 徊 as huí because of the 回 part, but the correct reading is huái with a second tone. Also do not write the left side as 亻 (person). It is 彳, which has two short strokes on top.
Common words with 徊
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 徘徊 | páihuái | to pace back and forth; to dither; to hesitate | HSK 7-9 |
Questions about 徊
How many strokes are in 徊?
徊 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 徊 mean?
徊 (huái) means to linger, to pace; irresolute. A common word with it is 徘徊 (páihuái), meaning "to pace back and forth; to dither; to hesitate".
How do you pronounce 徊?
徊 is pronounced huái, in the second tone (rising).
What is the radical of 徊?
The radical of 徊 is 彳, which carries the idea of "to step with the left foot". Dictionaries list 徊 under this radical.
Is 徊 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 徊 is part of the HSK 7-9 character list in the HSK 3.0 standard.
Can 徘徊 describe things other than people walking?
Yes. It is often used for prices or numbers that hover around a level, as in 价格在一百元左右徘徊 (the price hovers around 100 yuan). It can also describe someone wavering in a decision.
What is the difference between 徘徊 and 犹豫?
犹豫 (yóuyù) is the everyday word for hesitating in your mind. 徘徊 suggests physical pacing or a lingering, back and forth state, and it sounds more literary.