揮 meaning and stroke order
To direct; to squander; to wave; to wipe away
How to write 揮, 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 揮
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- to wave
- to brandish
- to command
- to conduct
- to scatter
- to disperse
How 揮 is built
Ideographic (compound meaning) character. To direct an army 軍 by hand 扌.
Radical: 扌 (hand), shared by 342 characters on this site.
How to remember 揮
A hand 扌 next to an army 軍: picture a general waving his hand to direct his troops. That waving, commanding motion is the core meaning of 揮 (huī).
揮 (simplified 挥) mostly appears in compounds such as 指挥 (zhǐhuī, to command or conduct), 发挥 (fāhuī, to bring into play) and 挥手 (huīshǒu, to wave). Example: 他向我们挥手告别。(Tā xiàng wǒmen huīshǒu gàobié.) He waved goodbye to us.
Common mistake: Learners often confuse 揮 with 輝 (huī, brilliance, as in 光辉), which has the same sound and the same 軍 part but uses 光 instead of the hand radical. If the meaning involves an action done with the hand, use 揮.
Common words with 揮
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 指揮 | zhǐhuī | to conduct; to command | HSK 4 |
| 發揮 | fāhuī | to display; to exhibit | HSK 4 |
| 指揮官 | zhǐhuīguān | commander | |
| 指揮部 | zhǐhuībù | headquarters; command post | |
| 揮手 | huīshǒu | to wave (one's hand) | |
| 揮舞 | huīwǔ | to brandish; to wave sth | |
| 揮霍 | huīhuò | to squander money; extravagant | |
| 揮之不去 | huīzhībùqù | impossible to get rid of | |
| 揮動 | huīdòng | to wave sth; to brandish | |
| 揮桿 | huīgān | swing (golf) | |
| 指揮家 | zhǐhuījiā | (music) conductor |
Questions about 揮
How many strokes are in 揮?
揮 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 揮 mean?
揮 (huī) means to direct; to squander; to wave; to wipe away. A common word with it is 指挥 (zhǐhuī), meaning "to conduct; to command".
How do you pronounce 揮?
揮 is pronounced huī, in the first tone (high and level).
What is the radical of 揮?
The radical of 揮 is 扌, which carries the idea of "hand". Dictionaries list 揮 under this radical.
What is the simplified form of 揮?
揮 is a traditional character. Its simplified form is 挥, used in mainland China and Singapore.
What is the difference between 挥手 and 招手?
挥手 (huīshǒu) is waving your hand, often to say goodbye or greet someone from a distance. 招手 (zhāoshǒu) is beckoning, waving someone to come toward you.
Does 揮 always mean a physical wave?
No. It can be abstract too. 发挥 means to make full use of an ability, and 挥霍 (huīhuò) means to squander money, as if scattering it away with a wave.