悟 meaning and stroke order
To apprehend, to realize, to become aware
How to write 悟, stroke by stroke
10 strokes in order. Each box adds the next stroke in red. Write top to bottom and left to right, and finish enclosing strokes last.
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- 10
Meaning of 悟
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- to comprehend
- to apprehend
- to become aware
How 悟 is built
Phono-semantic (sound + meaning) character. Mind.
忄 gives the meaning and 吾 hints at the sound.
Radical: 忄 (heart), shared by 167 characters on this site.
How to remember 悟
The heart radical 忄 means the mind, and 吾 (wú) means "I" and gives the sound. When my own mind finally gets it, I 悟 (wù), I realize.
悟 is rarely used alone in everyday speech and mostly appears in words like 觉悟 (juéwù), 领悟 (lǐngwù) and the idiom 恍然大悟 (huǎngrán-dàwù). It suggests a deeper realization than simply knowing a fact. Example: 他听了老师的话，恍然大悟。(Tā tīng le lǎoshī de huà, huǎngrán-dàwù.) After hearing the teacher, he suddenly understood.
Common mistake: Learners often confuse 悟 (wù) with 误 (wù, mistake), which sounds the same but has the speech radical 讠. Remember that realizing happens in the heart 忄, while mistakes come from careless words 讠.
Common words with 悟
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
Questions about 悟
How many strokes are in 悟?
悟 is written with 10 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 悟 mean?
悟 (wù) means to apprehend, to realize, to become aware. A common word with it is 觉悟 (juéwù), meaning "to come to understand; to realize".
How do you pronounce 悟?
悟 is pronounced wù, in the fourth tone (falling).
What is the radical of 悟?
The radical of 悟 is 忄, which carries the idea of "heart". Dictionaries list 悟 under this radical.
Is 悟 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 悟 is part of the HSK 6 character list in the HSK 3.0 standard.
What is the difference between 悟 and 懂?
懂 (dǒng) is the everyday word for understanding, as in 我懂了 (wǒ dǒng le). 悟 is more formal and implies a sudden or deep insight, often after reflection.
Why is 悟 used in Buddhist terms?
悟 describes awakening to truth, so it appears in words like 顿悟 (dùnwù), a flash of enlightenment. The name of the Monkey King, 孙悟空 (Sūn Wùkōng), also uses it, meaning roughly "awakened to emptiness."