觎 meaning and stroke order
To covet, to desire, to long for
How to write 觎, 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 觎
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- to desire passionately
How 觎 is built
Phono-semantic (sound + meaning) character. Eye.
见 gives the meaning and 俞 hints at the sound.
Radical: 见 (to see), shared by 14 characters on this site.
How to remember 觎
觎 is built from 见 (jiàn, to see) on the right, the meaning part, and 俞 (yú) on the left, which gives the sound. Picture someone who keeps looking at 见 something they want so badly it becomes an itch, and the 俞 reminds you it is read yú.
觎 almost never appears alone. It lives in the literary word 觊觎 (jìyú), meaning to covet something that is not yours, often power, land, or a position. Example: 他一直觊觎总经理的位置。(Tā yìzhí jìyú zǒngjīnglǐ de wèizhì.) He has long coveted the general manager's position.
Common mistake: Learners often mix up 觎 with 愉 (yú, happy) or 输 (shū, to lose), since they share the 俞 part. Remember that 觎 has 见 on the right because the coveting is done with the eyes. Also note that in 觊觎 the first syllable is jì, not qǐ, even though 岂 (qǐ) appears inside 觊.
Common words with 觎
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 觊觎 | jìyú | (literary) to covet; to cast greedy eyes on |
Questions about 觎
How many strokes are in 觎?
觎 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 觎 mean?
觎 (yú) means to covet, to desire, to long for. A common word with it is 觊觎 (jìyú), meaning "(literary) to covet; to cast greedy eyes on".
How do you pronounce 觎?
觎 is pronounced yú, in the second tone (rising).
What is the radical of 觎?
The radical of 觎 is 见, which carries the idea of "to see". Dictionaries list 觎 under this radical.
What is the traditional form of 觎?
The traditional form of 觎 is 覦. Traditional characters are used in Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau; 觎 is the simplified form used in mainland China and Singapore.
Is 觊觎 positive or negative?
It is negative. It suggests wanting something you have no right to, with a greedy or scheming attitude. For a neutral wish, use 渴望 (kěwàng) or 向往 (xiàngwǎng) instead.
Can I use 觊觎 in everyday conversation?
It is a literary, formal word, so it shows up more in news, history writing, and novels than in casual speech. In daily talk people would more likely say 眼红 (yǎnhóng) or 想要 (xiǎng yào).