称 meaning and stroke order
To weigh; to state; to name
How to write 称, 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 称
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- to weigh
- to state
- to name
- name
- appellation
- to praise
- to fit; to match; to suit
- (coll.) to have; to possess
- Taiwan pr. [cheng4]
- old variant of 秤[cheng4]
How 称 is built
Components of the character.
Radical: 禾 (cereal), shared by 66 characters on this site.
How to remember 称
称 combines 禾 (grain) with 尔 (you). Picture weighing your grain on a scale, which links to its sense "to weigh," and then naming the result out loud, which links to "to call" and "to state."
As chēng, it most often appears in words about naming and calling, such as 名称 (míngchēng), 称为 (chēngwéi) and 称呼 (chēnghu). It also means "to praise" in 称赞 (chēngzàn). Example: 老师称赞了他。(Lǎoshī chēngzàn le tā.) The teacher praised him.
Common mistake: Learners often read every 称 as chēng and miss the chèn reading in 称心 (chènxīn, to one's liking) and 相称 (xiāngchèn, well matched). Also watch the right side: it is 尔, not 小 or 你 without its person radical.
Common words with 称
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 名称 | míngchēng | name (of a thing); name (of an organization) | HSK 2 |
| 称为 | chēngwéi | to be called; to be known as; to call it "..." | HSK 3 |
| 称赞 | chēngzàn | to praise; to commend; to compliment | HSK 4 |
| 称号 | chēnghào | name; term of address | HSK 5 |
| 称呼 | chēnghu | to call; to address as; form of address; appellation | HSK 7-9 |
| 声称 | shēngchēng | to claim; to state | HSK 7-9 |
| 自称 | zìchēng | to call oneself; to claim to be | HSK 7-9 |
| 宣称 | xuānchēng | to assert; to claim | HSK 7-9 |
| 简称 | jiǎnchēng | to be abbreviated to; abbreviation; short form | HSK 7-9 |
| 称作 | chēngzuò | to be called; to be known as | HSK 7-9 |
| 对称 | duìchèn | symmetry; symmetrical | HSK 7-9 |
| 堪称 | kānchēng | can be rated as; can be said to be | HSK 7-9 |
| 号称 | hàochēng | to be known as; to be nicknamed; to be purportedly | HSK 7-9 |
| 称之为 | chēngzhīwéi | to call it...; known as... |
称 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Questions about 称
How many strokes are in 称?
称 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 称 mean?
称 (chēng) means to weigh; to state; to name. A common word with it is 名称 (míngchēng), meaning "name (of a thing); name (of an organization)".
How do you pronounce 称?
称 is pronounced chēng, in the first tone (high and level).
What is the radical of 称?
The radical of 称 is 禾, which carries the idea of "cereal". Dictionaries list 称 under this radical.
What is the traditional form of 称?
The traditional form of 称 is 稱. Traditional characters are used in Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau; 称 is the simplified form used in mainland China and Singapore.
Is 称 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 称 is part of the HSK 2 character list in the HSK 3.0 standard, and you are expected to write it by hand from HSK 2.
What is the difference between 称 and 叫 for "to call"?
叫 (jiào) is the everyday word, as in 我叫小明 (Wǒ jiào Xiǎomíng). 称 is more formal or written, and it usually appears in compounds like 称为 or 称呼 rather than alone.
How is 称 related to 秤?
秤 (chèng) means a weighing scale. The data lists 称 read chèng as an old variant of 秤, so in older texts 称 can mean the scale itself. Today the scale is normally written 秤.