换 meaning and stroke order
To exchange; to change (clothes etc); to substitute
How to write 换, 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.
- 1
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- 4
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- 10
Meaning of 换
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- to exchange
- to change (clothes etc)
- to substitute
- to switch
- to convert (currency)
How 换 is built
Phono-semantic (sound + meaning) character. Hand.
扌 gives the meaning and 奂 hints at the sound.
Radical: 扌 (hand), shared by 342 characters on this site.
How to remember 换
换 is pictophonetic: the hand radical 扌 shows the action, and 奂 (huàn) gives the sound. Picture your hand passing something over and taking something back, which is a swap.
换 (huàn) is an everyday verb for changing clothes, switching seats, swapping items, transferring trains, or exchanging money. It often takes a result complement, as in 换成 (huànchéng) "to change into". Example: 我想换钱。(Wǒ xiǎng huàn qián.) I want to exchange some money.
Common mistake: Learners often mix up 换 with 唤 (huàn, to call out), which has the same sound and the same 奂 part but uses the mouth radical 口. Learners also confuse 换 with 变 (biàn). 换 means replacing one thing with another. 变 means something itself changes.
Common words with 换
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 交换 | jiāohuàn | to exchange; to swap | HSK 4 |
| 转换 | zhuǎnhuàn | to change; to switch | HSK 5 |
| 更换 | gēnghuàn | to replace (a worn-out tire etc); to change (one's address etc) | HSK 5 |
| 变换 | biànhuàn | to transform; to convert | HSK 6 |
| 换成 | huànchéng | to exchange (sth) for (sth else); to replace with | HSK 7-9 |
| 替换 | tìhuàn | to exchange; to replace; to substitute for; to switch | HSK 7-9 |
| 换取 | huànqǔ | to obtain (sth) in exchange; to exchange (sth) for (sth else) | HSK 7-9 |
| 兑换 | duìhuàn | to convert; to exchange | HSK 7-9 |
| 换言之 | huànyánzhī | in other words | HSK 7-9 |
| 换位 | huànwèi | to swap places; (logic) conversion | HSK 7-9 |
| 撤换 | chèhuàn | to dismiss and replace (sb); to replace (sb or sth) | HSK 7-9 |
| 轮换 | lúnhuàn | to rotate; to take turns | HSK 7-9 |
| 换句话说 | huànjùhuàshuō | in other words | |
| 切换 | qiēhuàn | to switch over; to switch modes or data streams |
换 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Questions about 换
How many strokes are in 换?
换 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 换 mean?
换 (huàn) means to exchange; to change (clothes etc); to substitute. A common word with it is 交换 (jiāohuàn), meaning "to exchange; to swap".
How do you pronounce 换?
换 is pronounced huàn, in the fourth tone (falling).
What is the radical of 换?
The radical of 换 is 扌, which carries the idea of "hand". Dictionaries list 换 under this radical.
What is the traditional form of 换?
The traditional form of 换 is 換. Traditional characters are used in Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau; 换 is the simplified form used in mainland China and Singapore.
Is 换 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 换 is part of the HSK 2 character list in the HSK 3.0 standard, and you are expected to write it by hand from HSK 2.
How do I say "change trains" or "transfer" in Chinese?
Use 换车 (huàn chē) or 换乘 (huànchéng). For example, 在这里换地铁 (zài zhèlǐ huàn dìtiě) means "transfer to the subway here."
What is the difference between 换 and 交换?
换 is the short, common verb for any change or swap, and you can do it alone, as in 换衣服 (huàn yīfu, change clothes). 交换 (jiāohuàn) stresses a mutual exchange between two sides, like trading gifts or ideas.