浮 meaning and stroke order
To float; superficial; floating
How to write 浮, 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.
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Meaning of 浮
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- to float
- superficial
- floating
- unstable
- movable
- provisional
How 浮 is built
Phono-semantic (sound + meaning) character. Water.
氵 gives the meaning and 孚 hints at the sound.
Radical: 氵 (water), shared by 467 characters on this site.
How to remember 浮
浮 combines the water radical 氵 with 孚 (fú), which gives the sound. Picture something resting on top of water 氵 and bobbing there, and you have 浮, to float.
浮 means to float on water or in the air, and it extends to things that feel shallow or unsettled, like 浮躁 (fúzào, restless) and 轻浮 (qīngfú, frivolous). It also describes images or feelings rising up, as in 浮现 (fúxiàn). Example: 树叶浮在水面上。 (Shùyè fú zài shuǐmiàn shang.) The leaves float on the water.
Common mistake: Learners often confuse 浮 (fú) with 孚 (fú), its sound component. 孚 is not used on its own for floating, so always include the water radical 氵. Another trap is 浮 versus 漂 (piāo). 漂 stresses drifting along, while 浮 stresses staying on the surface instead of sinking.
Common words with 浮
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 浮现 | fúxiàn | (of a thought or image) to come to mind; (of a smile etc) to appear (on sb's face) | HSK 7-9 |
| 浮力 | fúlì | buoyancy | HSK 7-9 |
| 浮躁 | fúzào | fickle and impatient; restless | HSK 7-9 |
| 漂浮 | piāofú | to float; to hover | |
| 浮出 | fúchū | to emerge | |
| 轻浮 | qīngfú | frivolous; careless | |
| 浮游生物 | fúyóushēngwù | plankton | |
| 悬浮 | xuánfú | to float (in the air etc); suspension | |
| 浮标 | fúbiāo | buoy | |
| 浮云 | fúyún | floating clouds; fleeting | |
| 飘浮 | piāofú | to float; to hover | |
| 浮动 | fúdòng | to drift about; to move unsteadily; (fig.) to fluctuate; to rise and fall; to be changeabl | |
| 浮冰 | fúbīng | ice floe |
浮 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Questions about 浮
How many strokes are in 浮?
浮 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 浮 mean?
浮 (fú) means to float; superficial; floating. A common word with it is 浮现 (fúxiàn), meaning "(of a thought or image) to come to mind; (of a smile etc) to appear (on sb's face)".
How do you pronounce 浮?
浮 is pronounced fú, in the second tone (rising).
What is the radical of 浮?
The radical of 浮 is 氵, which carries the idea of "water". Dictionaries list 浮 under this radical.
Is 浮 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 浮 is part of the HSK 6 character list in the HSK 3.0 standard.
What is the difference between 浮 and 漂浮?
浮 alone is common in fixed words and in phrases like 浮在水面上. 漂浮 (piāofú) is a two-syllable verb that adds the idea of drifting or hovering. It often sounds more descriptive or literary.
Can 浮 describe a person's character?
Yes. Words like 浮躁 (fúzào) and 轻浮 (qīngfú) describe someone who is restless, shallow, or not serious. These words are usually critical, so be careful using them about people directly.