詠 meaning and stroke order
To sing, to hum, to chant
How to write 詠, 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 詠
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- to sing
How 詠 is built
Phono-semantic (sound + meaning) character. Speech.
言 gives the meaning and 永 hints at the sound.
Radical: 言 (words), shared by 155 characters on this site.
How to remember 詠
詠 combines 言 (speech) on the left with 永 (yǒng, forever) on the right, which gives the sound. Picture words 言 drawn out long, as if forever 永, and you get singing or chanting.
詠 is the traditional form of 咏, and it appears mostly in literary or formal words about singing, reciting poetry, or praising something in verse. You will see it in words like 歌詠 (gēyǒng, to sing) and 詠嘆調 (yǒngtàndiào, aria). Example: 他喜歡吟詠古詩。(Tā xǐhuan yínyǒng gǔshī.) He likes to chant classical poems.
Common mistake: Learners often write 泳 (yǒng, to swim) instead of 詠. Both have the same sound and the same 永 part. Remember that the water radical 氵 means swimming, while the speech radical 言 means singing or chanting.
Common words with 詠
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 歌詠 | gēyǒng | to sing | HSK 7-9 |
| 詠春 | yǒngchūn | Wing Chun; same as 詠春拳|咏春拳[yong3 chun1 quan2] | |
| 詠嘆調 | yǒngtàndiào | aria |
Questions about 詠
How many strokes are in 詠?
詠 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 詠 mean?
詠 (yǒng) means to sing, to hum, to chant. A common word with it is 歌咏 (gēyǒng), meaning "to sing".
How do you pronounce 詠?
詠 is pronounced yǒng, in the third tone (dipping).
What is the radical of 詠?
The radical of 詠 is 言, which carries the idea of "words". Dictionaries list 詠 under this radical.
What is the simplified form of 詠?
詠 is a traditional character. Its simplified form is 咏, used in mainland China and Singapore.
Is 詠 used for everyday singing like karaoke?
Not usually. For ordinary singing, people say 唱歌 (chànggē). 詠 sounds literary and suits poetry recitation, formal songs, or written praise.
What does 詠春 mean in martial arts?
詠春 (yǒngchūn) is the name of the Chinese martial art known in English as Wing Chun. The full name is 詠春拳 (yǒngchūnquán), and it is also written 咏春拳 in simplified characters.