混 meaning and stroke order
To mix; to mingle; muddled
How to write 混, stroke by stroke
11 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 混
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- to mix
- to mingle
- muddled
- to drift along
- to muddle along
- to pass for
- muddy; turbid (variant of 渾|浑[hun2])
- brainless; foolish (variant of 渾|浑[hun2])
- Taiwan pr. [hun4]
How 混 is built
Phono-semantic (sound + meaning) character. Water.
氵 gives the meaning and 昆 hints at the sound.
Radical: 氵 (water), shared by 467 characters on this site.
How to remember 混
混 is pictophonetic: the water radical 氵 gives the meaning and 昆 (kūn) hints at the sound. Picture water poured into a bowl of mixed things until everything turns muddy and blended together.
混 (hùn) appears in many common words about mixing or disorder, such as 混合 (hùnhé, to mix) and 混乱 (hùnluàn, chaotic). In casual speech it can also mean to drift along or get by without much effort. Example: 他在公司混日子。(Tā zài gōngsī hùn rìzi.) He just drifts along at the company.
Common mistake: Learners often say 混蛋 (scoundrel) with fourth tone, but the dictionary gives it as húndàn with second tone. Taiwan speakers usually say hùn here, so you will hear both. Also do not confuse 混 with 浑 (hún, muddy), which is a related character and is often used for the muddy sense.
Common words with 混
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 混乱 | hùnluàn | confused; chaotic; disorderly | HSK 6 |
| 混合 | hùnhé | to mix; to blend; hybrid; composite | HSK 6 |
| 混淆 | hùnxiáo | to obscure; to confuse | HSK 7-9 |
| 混凝土 | hùnníngtǔ | concrete (building material) | HSK 7-9 |
| 混浊 | hùnzhuó | turbid; muddy | HSK 7-9 |
| 混蛋 | húndàn | scoundrel; bastard | |
| 混球 | húnqiú | bastard; wretch | |
| 鬼混 | guǐhùn | to hang around; to fool around | |
| 混账 | hùnzhàng | shameful; absolutely disgraceful! | |
| 小混混 | xiǎohùnhùn | hooligan; rogue | |
| 混血 | hùnxuè | (of animals) hybrid; (of people) mixed-blood; mixed-race | |
| 搞混 | gǎohùn | to confuse; to muddle | |
| 混沌 | hùndùn | primal chaos (original state of the universe in Chinese mythology); (of a situation) confu | |
| 混血儿 | hùnxuè'ér | person of mixed blood |
混 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Questions about 混
How many strokes are in 混?
混 is written with 11 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 混 mean?
混 (hùn) means to mix; to mingle; muddled. A common word with it is 混乱 (hùnluàn), meaning "confused; chaotic; disorderly".
How do you pronounce 混?
混 is pronounced hùn, in the fourth tone (falling).
What is the radical of 混?
The radical of 混 is 氵, which carries the idea of "water". Dictionaries list 混 under this radical.
Is 混 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 混 is part of the HSK 6 character list in the HSK 3.0 standard.
What is the difference between 混合 and 混淆?
混合 (hùnhé) means to physically or literally mix things, like mixing colors or ingredients. 混淆 (hùnxiáo) means to confuse or blur two ideas, as in 混淆是非 (to confuse right and wrong).
Is 混 rude or negative when talking about people?
It can be. Saying someone is 混 or 鬼混 (guǐhùn) suggests they are wasting time or fooling around. Words like 混蛋 (húndàn) and 混球 (húnqiú) are insults, so avoid them in polite conversation.