胸 meaning and stroke order
Breast, bosom; heart, mind
How to write 胸, 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 胸
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- chest
- bosom
- heart
- mind
- thorax
- variant of 胸[xiong1]
How 胸 is built
Ideographic (compound meaning) character. A heart ⺼ in the chest 匈; 匈 also provides the pronunciation.
Radical: ⺼ (meat), shared by 176 characters on this site.
How to remember 胸
The left part ⺼ is the flesh or body radical, and the right part 匈 (xiōng) gives both the sound and the idea of the chest. Picture the body part ⺼ next to 匈, which wraps around something inside like a rib cage around the heart.
胸 (xiōng) usually appears in compounds like 胸口 (xiōngkǒu) or 胸部 (xiōngbù) for the physical chest, and in 心胸 (xīnxiōng) for a person's mind or generosity. Example: 他觉得胸口很疼。(Tā juéde xiōngkǒu hěn téng.) He feels a pain in his chest.
Common mistake: Learners often confuse 胸 (xiōng) with 匈 (xiōng) alone, which appears in 匈牙利 (Xiōngyálì, Hungary), or with 凶 (xiōng, fierce). Remember that the body-part meaning needs the ⺼ on the left, and the inner part of 匈 is 凶 wrapped by 勹.
Common words with 胸
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 胸部 | xiōngbù | chest; bosom | HSK 4 |
| 胸膛 | xiōngtáng | chest | HSK 7-9 |
| 心胸 | xīnxiōng | heart; mind | HSK 7-9 |
| 胸有成竹 | xiōngyǒuchéngzhú | (idiom) to have a well-thought-out plan in mind | HSK 7-9 |
| 胸口 | xiōngkǒu | chest | |
| 胸罩 | xiōngzhào | brassiere (underwear); bra | |
| 胸围 | xiōngwéi | chest measurement; bust | |
| 胸前 | xiōngqián | (on the) chest; bosom | |
| 胸腔 | xiōngqiāng | thoracic cavity | |
| 胸针 | xiōngzhēn | brooch | |
| 胸脯 | xiōngpú | chest | |
| 胸怀 | xiōnghuái | one's bosom (the seat of emotions); breast | |
| 隆胸 | lóngxiōng | to enlarge the breasts; breast enlargement | |
| 胸肌 | xiōngjī | pectoral muscles |
胸 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Questions about 胸
How many strokes are in 胸?
胸 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 胸 mean?
胸 (xiōng) means breast, bosom; heart, mind. A common word with it is 胸部 (xiōngbù), meaning "chest; bosom".
How do you pronounce 胸?
胸 is pronounced xiōng, in the first tone (high and level).
What is the radical of 胸?
The radical of 胸 is ⺼, which carries the idea of "meat". Dictionaries list 胸 under this radical.
What is the traditional form of 胸?
The traditional form of 胸 is 胷. Traditional characters are used in Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau; 胸 is the simplified form used in mainland China and Singapore.
Is 胸 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 胸 is part of the HSK 4 character list in the HSK 3.0 standard.
What does 胸有成竹 mean and when can I use it?
胸有成竹 (xiōngyǒuchéngzhú) literally means having a finished bamboo in your chest, like a painter who already sees the picture before drawing. Use it to say someone is confident and already has a clear plan, for example before an exam or a big meeting.
What is the difference between 胸口, 胸部 and 胸膛?
胸口 (xiōngkǒu) is the everyday word for the center of the chest, often used when talking about pain or feelings. 胸部 (xiōngbù) is more neutral or medical and can also refer to a woman's breasts, while 胸膛 (xiōngtáng) sounds more literary and is used for a broad, strong chest.