昌 meaning and stroke order
Sunlight; good, proper; prosperous
How to write 昌, 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.
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- 8
Meaning of 昌
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- (bound form) prosperous; flourishing
How 昌 is built
Ideographic (compound meaning) character. Speaking 曰 in the daytime 日.
Radical: 日 (sun), shared by 116 characters on this site.
How to remember 昌
昌 is a sun 日 stacked on top of speaking 曰. Picture people talking openly in bright daylight, a sign of a lively, flourishing place.
昌 (chāng) is a bound form, so it rarely stands alone and usually appears in formal words like 昌盛 (chāngshèng, prosperous) or in names. Example: 国家繁荣昌盛。(Guójiā fánróng chāngshèng.) The country is thriving and prosperous.
Common mistake: Learners often write both parts as the same shape. The top 日 is taller and narrower, while the bottom 曰 is wider and flatter. Also do not confuse 昌 with 晶 (jīng, crystal), which has three 日.
Common words with 昌
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 昌盛 | chāngshèng | prosperous | HSK 6 |
Characters that contain 昌
Learning 昌 makes these easier to recognize and write.
Questions about 昌
How many strokes are in 昌?
昌 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 昌 mean?
昌 (chāng) means sunlight; good, proper; prosperous. A common word with it is 昌盛 (chāngshèng), meaning "prosperous".
How do you pronounce 昌?
昌 is pronounced chāng, in the first tone (high and level).
What is the radical of 昌?
The radical of 昌 is 日, which carries the idea of "sun". Dictionaries list 昌 under this radical.
Is 昌 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 昌 is part of the HSK 6 character list in the HSK 3.0 standard, and you are expected to write it by hand from HSK 3.
Can I use 昌 by itself to say something is prosperous?
Not usually. In modern Chinese you would say 繁荣 (fánróng) or 昌盛 (chāngshèng) instead of 昌 alone.
Where else might I see 昌?
It shows up in place names such as 南昌 (Nánchāng), a city in Jiangxi, and in personal names, where it carries a wish for success. It is also a part inside other characters, such as 唱 (chàng, to sing).