TraceHanzi

湘 meaning and stroke order

xiāng

Hunan province; the Xiangjiang river

12 strokesRadical 氵
Strokes12
Pinyinxiāng
ToneTone 1
Frequency#4,504
Printable worksheet

How to write 湘, 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.

  1. 1
  2. 2
  3. 3
  4. 4
  5. 5
  6. 6
  7. 7
  8. 8
  9. 9
  10. 10
  11. 11
  12. 12

How 湘 is built

Phono-semantic (sound + meaning) character. Water.

shuǐwater+xiāngmutual

氵 gives the meaning and 相 hints at the sound.

Radical: 氵 (water), shared by 467 characters on this site.

How to remember 湘

The water radical 氵 tells you this is a river, and 相 (xiāng) gives the sound. Picture people looking at each other, 相, across the water of the Xiang River.

湘 is the short name for Hunan province, used on license plates, in food names, and in place names. It also names the Xiangjiang River, which flows through Hunan. Example: 我喜欢吃湘菜。(Wǒ xǐhuan chī xiāngcài.) I like Hunan cuisine.

Common mistake: Learners often confuse 湘 with 相 (xiāng) or 想 (xiǎng) because they share the same part. Remember that 湘 has the water radical and is first tone, while 想 has the heart 心 underneath and is third tone.

湘 in example sentences

Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.

告gào诉sù我wǒ你nǐ对duì湘xiāng南nán做zuò了le什shén么me。
Tell me what you did to Shounan.
告gào诉sù我wǒ你nǐ在zài湘xiāng南nán做zuò了le什shén么me。
Tell me what you did in Shounan.

Questions about 湘

How many strokes are in 湘?

湘 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 湘 mean?

湘 (xiāng) means Hunan province; the Xiangjiang river.

How do you pronounce 湘?

湘 is pronounced xiāng, in the first tone (high and level).

What is the radical of 湘?

The radical of 湘 is 氵, which carries the idea of "water". Dictionaries list 湘 under this radical.

What is the difference between 湘菜 and 川菜?

湘菜 (xiāngcài) is Hunan cuisine, known for a fresh, sharp spiciness from chili peppers. 川菜 (chuāncài) is Sichuan cuisine, which adds the numbing taste of Sichuan peppercorns.

Is 湘 used in people's names?

Yes, 湘 appears in given names, often for people with a connection to Hunan or because it suggests water and a gentle feeling. For example, 湘云 (Xiāngyún) is a character in the novel Dream of the Red Chamber.