承 meaning and stroke order
To undertake, to bear, to accept a duty; inheritance
How to write 承, stroke by stroke
8 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
Meaning of 承
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- to bear
- to carry
- to hold
- to continue
- to undertake
- to take charge
How 承 is built
Ideographic (compound meaning) character. Three hands 手 lifting a dead body 了.
Radical: 手 (hand), shared by 23 characters on this site.
How to remember 承
Think of 承 as several hands working together to lift a heavy load: the etymology hint describes three hands 手 lifting a body 了, and you can see the three horizontal strokes of 三 crossing the middle. Many hands lifting something heavy gives you the idea of bearing, carrying, and taking on responsibility.
承 rarely stands alone in modern speech. It appears in common words about taking on burdens or duties, such as 承担 (chéngdān), 承受 (chéngshòu), and 承认 (chéngrèn). Example: 他承认自己错了。(Tā chéngrèn zìjǐ cuò le.) He admitted he was wrong.
Common mistake: Learners often write the middle with only two horizontal strokes or forget that the strokes pass through the central vertical hook, which makes it look like 水 or 永. Also keep the second tone chéng, and do not confuse it with 成 (chéng, to become), which sounds identical.
Common words with 承
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 承认 | chéngrèn | to admit; to concede | HSK 4 |
| 承受 | chéngshòu | to bear; to support | HSK 4 |
| 承担 | chéngdān | to undertake; to assume (responsibility etc) | HSK 4 |
| 继承 | jìchéng | to inherit; to succeed to (the throne etc) | HSK 5 |
| 承办 | chéngbàn | to undertake; to accept a contract | HSK 5 |
| 承诺 | chéngnuò | to promise; to undertake to do something | HSK 6 |
| 传承 | chuánchéng | to pass on (to future generations); passed on (from former times) | HSK 7-9 |
| 承载 | chéngzài | to bear the weight; to sustain | HSK 7-9 |
| 承包 | chéngbāo | to contract; to undertake (a job) | HSK 7-9 |
| 秉承 | bǐngchéng | to take orders; to receive commands | HSK 7-9 |
| 继承人 | jìchéngrén | heir; successor | |
| 承包商 | chéngbāoshāng | contractor | |
| 承蒙 | chéngméng | to be indebted (to sb) | |
| 奉承 | fèngcheng | to fawn on; to flatter |
承 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Questions about 承
How many strokes are in 承?
承 is written with 8 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 承 mean?
承 (chéng) means to undertake, to bear, to accept a duty; inheritance. A common word with it is 承认 (chéngrèn), meaning "to admit; to concede".
How do you pronounce 承?
承 is pronounced chéng, in the second tone (rising).
What is the radical of 承?
The radical of 承 is 手, which carries the idea of "hand". Dictionaries list 承 under this radical.
Is 承 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 承 is part of the HSK 4 character list in the HSK 3.0 standard, and you are expected to write it by hand from HSK 3.
What is the difference between 承担 and 承受?
承担 (chéngdān) means to take on a responsibility, cost, or task, like 承担责任 (to take responsibility). 承受 (chéngshòu) means to endure or withstand pressure, pain, or weight, like 承受压力 (to bear pressure).
Does 承认 mean to recognize or to admit?
It can mean both. With people it usually means to admit or confess, as in 承认错误 (to admit a mistake). With countries or status it means to formally recognize, as in 承认一个国家 (to recognize a country).