忘 meaning and stroke order
To forget; to overlook; to neglect
How to write 忘, stroke by stroke
7 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
Meaning of 忘
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- to forget
- to overlook
- to neglect
How 忘 is built
Phono-semantic (sound + meaning) character. Heart.
心 gives the meaning and 亡 hints at the sound.
Radical: 心 (heart), shared by 97 characters on this site.
How to remember 忘
忘 puts 亡 (wáng, lost, gone) on top of 心 (xīn, heart or mind). When something is gone from your heart and mind, you forget it, and 亡 also hints at the sound wàng.
In everyday speech 忘 usually appears as 忘记 (wàngjì) or 忘了 (wàng le), often with 了 to show the forgetting already happened. Example: 我忘了带钥匙。(Wǒ wàng le dài yàoshi.) I forgot to bring my keys.
Common mistake: Learners often mix up 忘 (wàng, to forget) with 忙 (máng, busy), since both use 亡 and a heart. In 忙 the heart is the side form 忄 on the left, while in 忘 the full 心 sits underneath.
Common words with 忘
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 忘记 | wàngjì | to forget | HSK 1 |
| 难忘 | nánwàng | unforgettable | HSK 6 |
| 忘掉 | wàngdiào | to forget | HSK 7-9 |
| 遗忘 | yíwàng | to forget; to cease to think about (sb or sth) anymore | HSK 7-9 |
| 忘不了 | wàng bu liǎo | cannot forget | HSK 7-9 |
| 念念不忘 | niànniàn-bùwàng | to keep in mind constantly (idiom) | HSK 7-9 |
| 废寝忘食 | fèiqǐn-wàngshí | (idiom) to skip one's sleep and meals; to be completely wrapped up in one's work | HSK 7-9 |
| 忘却 | wàngquè | (literary) to put out of one's mind; to forget | |
| 备忘录 | bèiwànglù | memorandum; aide-memoire | |
| 忘恩负义 | wàng'ēnfùyì | to forget favors and violate justice (idiom); ingratitude to a friend; to kick a benefacto | |
| 健忘 | jiànwàng | forgetful | |
| 得意忘形 | déyìwàngxíng | so pleased as to lose one's sense of measure; beside oneself with joy | |
| 忘怀 | wànghuái | to forget | |
| 淡忘 | dànwàng | to gradually forget as time passes; to have (sth) fade from one's memory |
忘 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Questions about 忘
How many strokes are in 忘?
忘 is written with 7 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 忘 mean?
忘 (wàng) means to forget; to overlook; to neglect. A common word with it is 忘记 (wàngjì), meaning "to forget".
How do you pronounce 忘?
忘 is pronounced wàng, in the fourth tone (falling).
What is the radical of 忘?
The radical of 忘 is 心, which carries the idea of "heart". Dictionaries list 忘 under this radical.
Is 忘 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 忘 is part of the HSK 1 character list in the HSK 3.0 standard, and you are expected to write it by hand from HSK 1.
What is the difference between 忘 and 忘记?
They mean the same thing. 忘记 is a little more complete and neutral, while 忘 alone is common in casual speech, especially as 忘了. Both can take an object, as in 别忘了我 (bié wàng le wǒ), don't forget me.
How do I say "don't forget" in Chinese?
Say 别忘了 (bié wàng le) or 不要忘记 (bú yào wàngjì). For example, 别忘了吃药 (bié wàng le chī yào) means don't forget to take your medicine.