徨 meaning and stroke order
Doubtful, irresolute, vacillating
How to write 徨, stroke by stroke
12 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
- 10
- 11
- 12
Meaning of 徨
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- used in 彷徨[pang2 huang2]
How 徨 is built
Phono-semantic (sound + meaning) character. Step.
彳 gives the meaning and 皇 hints at the sound.
Radical: 彳 (to step with the left foot), shared by 42 characters on this site.
How to remember 徨
徨 combines 彳 (step) on the left with 皇 (huáng) on the right, which gives the sound. Picture someone taking small steps back and forth in front of an emperor's 皇 palace, unsure whether to go in.
徨 almost never appears alone. It is used in the word 彷徨 (pánghuáng), which describes wandering about or feeling lost and unable to decide. Example: 他站在路口彷徨不前。(Tā zhàn zài lùkǒu pánghuáng bù qián.) He stood at the crossroads, hesitating to move on.
Common mistake: Learners often write 惶 (huáng, fear) instead of 徨, because both sound the same and both appear in emotional words. Remember that 徨 has the step radical 彳 for wandering feet, while 惶 has the heart radical 忄 as in 惶恐 (huángkǒng, frightened).
Common words with 徨
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 彷徨 | pánghuáng | to pace back and forth, not knowing which way to turn; to hesitate; to waver |
Questions about 徨
How many strokes are in 徨?
徨 is written with 12 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 徨 mean?
徨 (huáng) means doubtful, irresolute, vacillating. A common word with it is 彷徨 (pánghuáng), meaning "to pace back and forth, not knowing which way to turn; to hesitate; to waver".
How do you pronounce 徨?
徨 is pronounced huáng, in the second tone (rising).
What is the radical of 徨?
The radical of 徨 is 彳, which carries the idea of "to step with the left foot". Dictionaries list 徨 under this radical.
Is 彷徨 used in formal or everyday Chinese?
彷徨 is somewhat literary. You will see it in writing, song lyrics, and book titles, such as Lu Xun's story collection 《彷徨》. In casual speech people more often say 犹豫 (yóuyù) for hesitate.
How is 彷 pronounced in 彷徨?
In 彷徨 the first character is read páng, so the word is pánghuáng. The same character 彷 is read fǎng in 彷彿 (fǎngfú, as if), so its reading depends on the word.