號 meaning and stroke order
Mark, sign; symbol; number; to call, to cry, to roar
How to write 號, stroke by stroke
13 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 號
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- (bound form) to wail; to howl
- (literary) to call out; to command
- (bound form) bugle; trumpet
- (bound form) signal; bugle call (e.g. 起床號|起床号[qi3 chuang2 hao4])
- (bound form) mark; sign
- to mark; to label; to assign a number
- (bound form) name; appellation (e.g. 國號|国号[guo2 hao4], 年號|年号[nian2 hao4], 遼寧號|辽宁号[Liao2 ning2 Hao4])
How 號 is built
Ideographic (compound meaning) character. The roar 口 of the tiger 虎; 丂 provides the pronunciation.
Radical: 虎 (tiger), shared by 4 characters on this site.
How to remember 號
On the left is 号, a mouth 口 shouting, and on the right is a tiger 虎. A tiger opening its mouth to roar is a loud call, which grew into meanings like a signal, a name you call out, and a number.
In everyday traditional-character text 號 means a number or a mark, as in 號碼 (hàomǎ, number) and 信號 (xìnhào, signal). It is also used for dates and sizes. Example: 今天幾號？(Jīntiān jǐ hào?) What is the date today?
Common mistake: Learners often read 號 only as hào and forget the second reading háo, which means to wail or howl, as in 號叫 (háojiào). Also do not confuse the simplified form 号 with 虎 alone. 號 keeps both parts side by side.
Common words with 號
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 信號 | xìnhào | signal | HSK 2 |
| 號碼 | hàomǎ | number | HSK 4 |
| 符號 | fúhào | symbol; mark; sign | HSK 4 |
| 型號 | xínghào | model (particular version of a manufactured article); type (product specification in terms | HSK 4 |
| 括號 | kuòhào | parentheses; brackets | HSK 4 |
| 口號 | kǒuhào | slogan; catchphrase | HSK 5 |
| 稱號 | chēnghào | name; term of address | HSK 5 |
| 號召 | hàozhào | to call; to appeal | HSK 5 |
| 車號 | chēhào | vehicle number (license plate number, taxi number, bus number, train car number) | HSK 6 |
| 編號 | biānhào | to number; to assign numbers; serial number | HSK 7-9 |
| 代號 | dàihào | code name | HSK 7-9 |
| 頭號 | tóuhào | first rate; top rank | HSK 7-9 |
| 綽號 | chuòhào | nickname | HSK 7-9 |
| 記號 | jìhao | mark; symbol | HSK 7-9 |
Characters that contain 號
Learning 號 makes these easier to recognize and write.
Questions about 號
How many strokes are in 號?
號 is written with 13 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 號 mean?
號 (hào) means mark, sign; symbol; number; to call, to cry, to roar. A common word with it is 信号 (xìnhào), meaning "signal".
How do you pronounce 號?
號 is pronounced hào, in the fourth tone (falling).
What is the radical of 號?
The radical of 號 is 虎, which carries the idea of "tiger". Dictionaries list 號 under this radical.
What is the simplified form of 號?
號 is a traditional character. Its simplified form is 号, used in mainland China and Singapore.
How do you say a room number or a date with 號?
Put the number before 號. 三號 (sān hào) can mean the 3rd day of the month, and 五〇二號房 (wǔ líng èr hào fáng) means room 502.
What does 號 mean in ship names like 遼寧號?
Here 號 marks a proper name given to a ship, train, or similar thing. 遼寧號 (Liáoníng Hào) is the name of a vessel, much like writing a name after "the" in English.