衕 meaning and stroke order
Same, similar; together with, alike
How to write 衕, stroke by stroke
12 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 衕
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- used in 衚衕|胡同[hu2 tong4]
How 衕 is built
Ideographic (compound meaning) character. To walk 行 with 同 someone; 同 also provides the pronunciation.
Radical: 行 (to go), shared by 12 characters on this site.
How to remember 衕
The character 同 (tóng, same) sits inside 行 (xíng, to walk), like two people walking together down the same street. 同 also gives the sound tóng.
Today 衕 mostly appears in the traditional spelling 衚衕, which is written 胡同 (hútòng) in simplified Chinese and means a narrow alley, especially in Beijing. In this word the second syllable is usually read tòng or with a neutral tone. Example: 我家住在一條老衚衕裡。(Wǒ jiā zhù zài yì tiáo lǎo hútòng lǐ.) My home is in an old alley.
Common mistake: Learners often write 衕 when they mean the everyday word 同 (tóng, same). In modern texts the sense of same or together is written 同, and 衕 is kept for 衚衕. Also remember that in 胡同 the second syllable is not read with the second tone tóng.
Questions about 衕
How many strokes are in 衕?
衕 is written with 12 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 衕 mean?
衕 (tóng) means same, similar; together with, alike.
How do you pronounce 衕?
衕 is pronounced tóng, in the second tone (rising).
What is the radical of 衕?
The radical of 衕 is 行, which carries the idea of "to go". Dictionaries list 衕 under this radical.
What is the simplified form of 衕?
衕 is a traditional character. Its simplified form is 同, used in mainland China and Singapore.
What is the difference between 衕 and 同?
同 is the common character for same, together, and with. 衕 is a rarer form that adds 行 around it. You will mainly see it in 衚衕, the traditional spelling of alley.
Why is 胡同 spelled 衚衕 in traditional Chinese?
In traditional writing both syllables of the word take the street component 行, giving 衚衕. Simplified Chinese drops 行 and writes 胡同, using more common characters with the same sounds.