绯 meaning and stroke order
Crimson, scarlet; purple
How to write 绯, 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 绯
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- dark red
- purple silk
How 绯 is built
Phono-semantic (sound + meaning) character. Silk.
纟 gives the meaning and 非 hints at the sound.
Radical: 纟 (silk), shared by 143 characters on this site.
How to remember 绯
绯 combines 纟 (silk) with 非 (fēi), which gives the sound. Picture a bolt of silk dyed a deep red, and remember it is read like 非.
绯 appears mostly in set words and written or literary Chinese, not as a standalone color word in daily speech. Its most common modern use is 绯闻 (fēiwén), a romantic or sex scandal, often about celebrities. Example: 他最近被卷入一桩绯闻。(Tā zuìjìn bèi juǎnrù yì zhuāng fēiwén.) He was recently caught up in a scandal.
Common mistake: Learners sometimes write 诽 (fěi, to slander) instead, because both use 非 and 绯闻 sounds like gossip. Remember that 绯 has the silk radical 纟 and is first tone, while 诽 has the speech radical 讠 and is third tone.
Common words with 绯
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 绯闻 | fēiwén | sex scandal | HSK 7-9 |
Questions about 绯
How many strokes are in 绯?
绯 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 绯 mean?
绯 (fēi) means crimson, scarlet; purple. A common word with it is 绯闻 (fēiwén), meaning "sex scandal".
How do you pronounce 绯?
绯 is pronounced fēi, in the first tone (high and level).
What is the radical of 绯?
The radical of 绯 is 纟, which carries the idea of "silk". Dictionaries list 绯 under this radical.
What is the traditional form of 绯?
The traditional form of 绯 is 緋. Traditional characters are used in Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau; 绯 is the simplified form used in mainland China and Singapore.
Is 绯 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 绯 is part of the HSK 7-9 character list in the HSK 3.0 standard.
How do I say red in normal conversation if 绯 is literary?
Use 红 (hóng) for red in everyday speech. 绯 is closer to a poetic deep red or crimson, found in phrases like 绯红 (fēihóng), bright crimson, often describing a blushing face or a sunset.
Why does 绯闻 mean scandal if 绯 means red?
Red is linked with romance in Chinese, so 绯闻 literally suggests red, or romantic, news. It refers to gossip about love affairs, not to financial or political scandals, which are usually called 丑闻 (chǒuwén).