穹 meaning and stroke order
Vast, lofty, high; vault, dome, arch
How to write 穹, stroke by stroke
8 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
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- 8
Meaning of 穹
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- vault
- dome
- the sky
How 穹 is built
Ideographic (compound meaning) character. An arched 弓 vault 穴; 弓 also provides the pronunciation.
Radical: 穴 (cave), shared by 46 characters on this site.
How to remember 穹
Picture a cave 穴 (xué) on top with a bow 弓 (gōng) underneath. The roof of the cave curves like a bent bow, giving you an arched vault or dome, like the sky overhead.
穹 is mostly found in written or literary words rather than on its own. It shows up in words for domes and the sky, such as 穹顶 (qióngdǐng) and 苍穹 (cāngqióng, the blue vault of heaven). Example: 教堂的穹顶很高。(Jiàotáng de qióngdǐng hěn gāo.) The church's dome is very high.
Common mistake: Learners often confuse 穹 with 穷 (qióng, poor), which has the same sound and the same 穴 top but 力 underneath instead of 弓. If the meaning is about a curved roof or the sky, use the bow 弓 version.
Common words with 穹
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 穹顶 | qióngdǐng | dome; vault |
Questions about 穹
How many strokes are in 穹?
穹 is written with 8 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 穹 mean?
穹 (qióng) means vast, lofty, high; vault, dome, arch. A common word with it is 穹顶 (qióngdǐng), meaning "dome; vault".
How do you pronounce 穹?
穹 is pronounced qióng, in the second tone (rising).
What is the radical of 穹?
The radical of 穹 is 穴, which carries the idea of "cave". Dictionaries list 穹 under this radical.
What does 苍穹 mean?
苍穹 (cāngqióng) means the sky or the heavens, seen as a great blue dome. It is a poetic word you will see in literature, song lyrics, and formal writing.
Is 穹 related to the word for a yurt?
Yes, 穹庐 (qiónglú) is a classical word for a dome-shaped felt tent, like a yurt used by nomadic peoples. The 穹 part describes its rounded, vaulted roof.