许 meaning and stroke order
To allow; to permit; to promise
How to write 许, stroke by stroke
6 strokes in order. Each box adds the next stroke in red. Write top to bottom and left to right, and finish enclosing strokes last.
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
Meaning of 许
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- to allow
- to permit
- to promise
- to praise
- somewhat
- perhaps
How 许 is built
Phono-semantic (sound + meaning) character. Speech.
讠 gives the meaning and 午 hints at the sound.
Radical: 讠 (words), shared by 144 characters on this site.
How to remember 许
许 combines the speech radical 讠 with 午 (wǔ), which gives a hint to the sound. Picture someone giving a spoken yes at noon (午): speaking out to permit or promise something.
许 rarely stands alone in modern speech. It mostly appears in words like 允许 (yǔnxǔ, to allow), 不许 (bùxǔ, must not), 许多 (xǔduō, many) and 也许 (yěxǔ, maybe). Example: 这里不许抽烟。(Zhèlǐ bùxǔ chōuyān.) Smoking is not allowed here.
Common mistake: Learners often write the right side as 牛 (niú) instead of 午 (wǔ). In 午 the top stroke does not poke through, while 牛 has a vertical stroke that sticks out the top. Also keep the third tone: xǔ, not xū.
Common words with 许
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 也许 | yěxǔ | perhaps; maybe | HSK 2 |
| 许多 | xǔduō | many; a lot of | HSK 2 |
| 或许 | huòxǔ | perhaps; maybe | HSK 4 |
| 不许 | bùxǔ | not to allow; must not | HSK 5 |
| 许可 | xǔkě | to allow; to permit | HSK 5 |
| 允许 | yǔnxǔ | to permit; to allow | HSK 6 |
| 准许 | zhǔnxǔ | to allow; to grant | HSK 7-9 |
| 许可证 | xǔkězhèng | license; authorization | HSK 7-9 |
| 容许 | róngxǔ | to permit; to allow | HSK 7-9 |
| 赞许 | zànxǔ | to praise; to laud | HSK 7-9 |
| 许愿 | xǔyuàn | to make a wish; to make a vow | |
| 许诺 | xǔnuò | to promise; to pledge | |
| 许下 | xǔxià | to make a promise | |
| 少许 | shǎoxǔ | a little; a few |
许 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Questions about 许
How many strokes are in 许?
许 is written with 6 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 许 mean?
许 (xǔ) means to allow; to permit; to promise. A common word with it is 也许 (yěxǔ), meaning "perhaps; maybe".
How do you pronounce 许?
许 is pronounced xǔ, in the third tone (dipping).
What is the radical of 许?
The radical of 许 is 讠, which carries the idea of "words". Dictionaries list 许 under this radical.
What is the traditional form of 许?
The traditional form of 许 is 許. Traditional characters are used in Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau; 许 is the simplified form used in mainland China and Singapore.
Is 许 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 许 is part of the HSK 2 character list in the HSK 3.0 standard, and you are expected to write it by hand from HSK 2.
What is the difference between 也许 and 或许?
Both mean perhaps or maybe and are often interchangeable. 也许 (yěxǔ) is more common in everyday speech, while 或许 (huòxǔ) sounds slightly more formal or written.
Why does 许 appear in 许多 meaning many?
许 also has the sense of somewhat or about an amount. In 许多 (xǔduō) it combines with 多 (duō) to mean many or a lot of, as in 许多人 (xǔduō rén), many people.