樂 meaning and stroke order
Cheerful, happy, laughing; music
How to write 樂, stroke by stroke
15 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 樂
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- happy
- cheerful
- to laugh
- music
- used in place names
How 樂 is built
Ideographic (compound meaning) character. A musical instrument with wood 木, strings 幺, and a pick 白.
Radical: 木 (tree), shared by 388 characters on this site.
How to remember 樂
Picture a wooden 木 (mù) frame with two silk strings 幺 on each side and a pick 白 in the middle. Plucking this instrument makes music, and music makes people happy.
樂 is the traditional form of 乐. Read as lè it means happy, as in 快樂 (kuàilè), and read as yuè it means music, as in 音樂 (yīnyuè). Example: 祝你生日快樂。(Zhù nǐ shēngrì kuàilè.) Happy birthday to you.
Common mistake: Learners often read every 樂 as lè, but in music words like 音樂 (yīnyuè) and 樂隊 (yuèduì) it must be yuè. Also take care not to confuse the middle part 白 with 日 when writing it.
Common words with 樂
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 音樂 | yīnyuè | music | HSK 2 |
| 快樂 | kuàilè | happy; joyful | HSK 2 |
| 音樂會 | yīnyuèhuì | concert | HSK 2 |
| 樂隊 | yuèduì | band; pop group | HSK 3 |
| 歡樂 | huānlè | gaiety; gladness | HSK 3 |
| 可樂 | kělè | amusing; entertaining | HSK 3 |
| 樂觀 | lèguān | optimistic; hopeful | HSK 3 |
| 樂趣 | lèqù | delight; pleasure; joy | HSK 4 |
| 俱樂部 | jùlèbù | (loanword) club (the organization or its premises) | HSK 5 |
| 娛樂 | yúlè | to entertain; to amuse | HSK 6 |
| 樂曲 | yuèqǔ | musical composition | HSK 6 |
| 樂意 | lèyì | to be willing to do sth; to be ready to do sth | HSK 7-9 |
| 樂園 | lèyuán | paradise | HSK 7-9 |
| 樂器 | yuèqì | musical instrument | HSK 7-9 |
Characters that contain 樂
Learning 樂 makes these easier to recognize and write.
Questions about 樂
How many strokes are in 樂?
樂 is written with 15 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 樂 mean?
樂 (lè) means cheerful, happy, laughing; music. A common word with it is 音乐 (yīnyuè), meaning "music".
How do you pronounce 樂?
樂 is pronounced lè, in the fourth tone (falling).
What is the radical of 樂?
The radical of 樂 is 木, which carries the idea of "tree". Dictionaries list 樂 under this radical.
What is the simplified form of 樂?
樂 is a traditional character. Its simplified form is 乐, used in mainland China and Singapore.
How do I know whether 樂 is read lè or yuè?
If the word is about music, instruments or bands, read it yuè, as in 樂隊 (yuèduì). If it is about happiness or enjoyment, read it lè, as in 樂觀 (lèguān).
Why does the drink cola use 樂?
可樂 (kělè) was chosen to sound like cola, and it also suggests something pleasant or fun. Here 樂 is read lè.