衡 meaning and stroke order
To measure, to weigh; to consider, to judge
How to write 衡, stroke by stroke
16 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 衡
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- to weigh
- weight
- measure
How 衡 is built
Ideographic (compound meaning) character. A big 大 horn 角; 行 provides the pronunciation.
Radical: 行 (to go), shared by 12 characters on this site.
How to remember 衡
Picture a big 大 (dà) horn 角 (jiǎo) set in the middle of the road 行 (xíng), held level like the beam of a scale. The horn sits balanced between the two sides of 行, which reminds you of weighing and balance, and 行 also hints at the sound.
衡 rarely appears alone in modern Chinese. It lives in two-character words about balance and judgment, such as 平衡 (pínghéng), 衡量 (héngliáng), 均衡 (jūnhéng) and 权衡 (quánhéng). Example: 工作和生活要保持平衡。(Gōngzuò hé shēnghuó yào bǎochí pínghéng.) You need to keep a balance between work and life.
Common mistake: Learners often confuse 衡 with 衔 (xián, to hold in the mouth) and 街 (jiē, street), which share the 行 frame. Check the middle: 衡 has 角 on top of 大, not 金 or 圭.
Common words with 衡
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 平衡 | pínghéng | balance; equilibrium | HSK 6 |
| 衡量 | héngliáng | to weigh; to examine | HSK 6 |
| 抗衡 | kànghéng | to compete with; to vie with | HSK 7-9 |
| 均衡 | jūnhéng | equal; balanced | HSK 7-9 |
| 权衡 | quánhéng | to consider; to weigh (a matter) | HSK 7-9 |
| 失衡 | shīhéng | to become unbalanced; imbalance (e.g. 供需失衡[供需失衡|gong1 xu1 shi1 heng2], supply-demand imbal |
衡 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Questions about 衡
How many strokes are in 衡?
衡 is written with 16 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 衡 mean?
衡 (héng) means to measure, to weigh; to consider, to judge. A common word with it is 平衡 (pínghéng), meaning "balance; equilibrium".
How do you pronounce 衡?
衡 is pronounced héng, in the second tone (rising).
What is the radical of 衡?
The radical of 衡 is 行, which carries the idea of "to go". Dictionaries list 衡 under this radical.
Is 衡 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 衡 is part of the HSK 6 character list in the HSK 3.0 standard.
What is the difference between 衡量 and 权衡?
衡量 (héngliáng) means to measure or evaluate something against a standard, like 衡量标准 (a standard of measurement). 权衡 (quánhéng) means to weigh options or pros and cons before deciding, like 权衡利弊 (weigh the pros and cons).
How do you say someone lost their balance using 衡?
You can say 失去平衡 (shīqù pínghéng), to lose balance, for both physical balance and situations. 失衡 (shīhéng) is a shorter, more formal word often used for systems, as in 供需失衡 (supply-demand imbalance).