耿 meaning and stroke order
Bright, shining; brave, loyal
How to write 耿, 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 耿
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- (literary) bright; brilliant
- honest; upright
How 耿 is built
Phono-semantic (sound + meaning) character. Fire.
火 gives the meaning.
Radical: 耳 (ear), shared by 34 characters on this site.
How to remember 耿
耿 puts an ear 耳 (ěr) next to fire 火 (huǒ), and the fire part carries the meaning of bright and shining. Picture someone so honest that their ears glow with a clear, bright fire.
Today 耿 appears almost only in set words. 耿直 (gěngzhí) describes a frank, straightforward person, and 忠心耿耿 (zhōngxīn gěnggěng) means loyal and devoted. Example: 他很耿直。(Tā hěn gěngzhí.) He is very straightforward.
Common mistake: Learners often read 耿 as gēng or gèng because of 更 (gèng) or 耕 (gēng), but it is third tone, gěng. Also, 耿耿于怀 is not positive. It means you cannot let something go, so do not use it for loyalty.
Common words with 耿
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 耿直 | gěngzhí | honest; frank; candid | HSK 7-9 |
| 耿耿于怀 | gěnggěngyúhuái | to take troubles to heart (idiom); brooding | |
| 忠心耿耿 | zhōngxīngěnggěng | loyal and devoted (idiom); faithful and true |
Questions about 耿
How many strokes are in 耿?
耿 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 耿 mean?
耿 (gěng) means bright, shining; brave, loyal. A common word with it is 耿直 (gěngzhí), meaning "honest; frank; candid".
How do you pronounce 耿?
耿 is pronounced gěng, in the third tone (dipping).
What is the radical of 耿?
The radical of 耿 is 耳, which carries the idea of "ear". Dictionaries list 耿 under this radical.
Is 耿 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 耿 is part of the HSK 7-9 character list in the HSK 3.0 standard.
What does 耿耿于怀 mean and when do I use it?
It means to keep brooding over something that bothers you, like an insult or a past mistake. Example: 别再耿耿于怀了。(Bié zài gěnggěng yú huái le.) Stop dwelling on it.
Is 耿 used as a surname?
Yes, 耿 (Gěng) is a fairly well known Chinese surname. Outside of names and fixed words like 耿直, you will rarely see it used alone.