惩 meaning and stroke order
To discipline, to punish, to reprimand, to warn
How to write 惩, 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.
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Meaning of 惩
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- to punish
- to reprimand
- to warn
How 惩 is built
Phono-semantic (sound + meaning) character. Heart.
心 gives the meaning and 征 hints at the sound.
Radical: 心 (heart), shared by 97 characters on this site.
How to remember 惩
惩 is 征 (zhēng) on top of 心 (xīn, heart). 征 gives the sound, and 心 hints that punishment is meant to reach the heart and make someone reflect and change.
惩 rarely stands alone in modern Chinese and usually appears in words like 惩罚 (chéngfá, punishment) and 严惩 (yánchéng, to punish severely). It sounds formal and is common in news, law and school rules. Example: 他因为作弊受到了惩罚。 (Tā yīnwèi zuòbì shòudàole chéngfá.) He was punished for cheating.
Common mistake: Learners often read 惩 as zhēng because of the 征 on top, but it is chéng with a second tone. Also do not write 徵 or 征 alone when you mean 惩. The 心 at the bottom is required.
Common words with 惩
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
惩 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Questions about 惩
How many strokes are in 惩?
惩 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 惩 mean?
惩 (chéng) means to discipline, to punish, to reprimand, to warn. A common word with it is 惩罚 (chéngfá), meaning "penalty; punishment".
How do you pronounce 惩?
惩 is pronounced chéng, in the second tone (rising).
What is the radical of 惩?
The radical of 惩 is 心, which carries the idea of "heart". Dictionaries list 惩 under this radical.
What is the traditional form of 惩?
The traditional form of 惩 is 懲. Traditional characters are used in Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau; 惩 is the simplified form used in mainland China and Singapore.
Is 惩 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 惩 is part of the HSK 7-9 character list in the HSK 3.0 standard.
What is the difference between 惩罚 and 处罚?
Both mean to punish. 处罚 (chǔfá) often refers to official penalties such as fines or sanctions. 惩罚 is broader and can be used for parents, teachers, fate, or the law.
What does the idiom 惩前毖后 mean?
惩前毖后 (chéng qián bì hòu) means to learn from past mistakes to avoid future ones. It shows the warning sense of 惩, where punishment serves as a lesson rather than just revenge.