盛 meaning and stroke order
To hold; to contain; to ladle
How to write 盛, 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.
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
- 7
- 8
- 9
- 10
- 11
Meaning of 盛
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- to hold
- to contain
- to ladle
- to pick up with a utensil
- flourishing
- vigorous
- magnificent
- extensively
How 盛 is built
Phono-semantic (sound + meaning) character. Dish.
皿 gives the meaning and 成 hints at the sound.
Radical: 皿 (dish), shared by 28 characters on this site.
How to remember 盛
盛 is a dish 皿 (mǐn) on the bottom with 成 (chéng) on top, which gives the sound. Picture a dish that is filled to the top. Filling it is chéng, and a full, abundant dish is shèng.
As chéng it is an everyday verb for putting food or liquid into a bowl, as in 盛饭 (chéng fàn) to serve rice. As shèng it appears in words about abundance and grandeur, like 丰盛 (fēngshèng) and 盛开 (shèngkāi). Example: 我给你盛一碗汤。(Wǒ gěi nǐ chéng yì wǎn tāng.) Let me ladle you a bowl of soup.
Common mistake: Learners often read 盛饭 as shèng fàn. When it means to fill or serve into a container, it is chéng. Do not confuse 盛 with 剩 (shèng, leftover). They sound alike, but 剩饭 means leftover rice.
Common words with 盛
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 盛行 | shèngxíng | to be in vogue; to be popular; to be prevalent | HSK 6 |
| 昌盛 | chāngshèng | prosperous | HSK 6 |
| 盛大 | shèngdà | grand; majestic | HSK 7-9 |
| 丰盛 | fēngshèng | rich; sumptuous | HSK 7-9 |
| 盛会 | shènghuì | pageant; distinguished meeting | HSK 7-9 |
| 盛开 | shèngkāi | blooming; in full flower | HSK 7-9 |
| 旺盛 | wàngshèng | vigorous; exuberant | HSK 7-9 |
| 茂盛 | màoshèng | lush | HSK 7-9 |
| 盛气凌人 | shèngqì-língrén | overbearing; arrogant bully | HSK 7-9 |
| 盛宴 | shèngyàn | feast | |
| 盛装 | chéngzhuāng | (of a receptacle etc) to contain | |
| 盛夏 | shèngxià | midsummer; the height of summer | |
| 盛事 | shèngshì | grand occasion |
盛 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Questions about 盛
How many strokes are in 盛?
盛 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 盛 mean?
盛 (chéng) means to hold; to contain; to ladle. A common word with it is 盛行 (shèngxíng), meaning "to be in vogue; to be popular; to be prevalent".
How do you pronounce 盛?
盛 has more than one reading: chéng and shèng. The most common is chéng, said in the second tone (rising).
What is the radical of 盛?
The radical of 盛 is 皿, which carries the idea of "dish". Dictionaries list 盛 under this radical.
Is 盛 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 盛 is part of the HSK 6 character list in the HSK 3.0 standard.
How do I know whether to read 盛 as chéng or shèng?
Use chéng when it is an action verb about filling a container with food or liquid, such as 盛汤 or 盛饭. Almost every other use, especially in two-character words about prosperity or grandeur, is shèng.
Is 盛 used as a surname?
Yes, 盛 is a Chinese surname. As a surname it is read Shèng.