賀 meaning and stroke order
To congratulate; to send a present
How to write 賀, 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 賀
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- to congratulate
How 賀 is built
Ideographic (compound meaning) character. To add 加 to someone else's fortune 貝.
Radical: 貝 (sea shell), shared by 62 characters on this site.
How to remember 賀
賀 stacks 加 (jiā, to add) on top of 貝 (bèi, shell, an old symbol of money and wealth). When you congratulate someone, you add 加 to their fortune 貝, often with a gift.
賀 rarely stands alone in speech. It mostly appears in words like 祝賀 (zhùhè, to congratulate), 賀卡 (hèkǎ, greeting card) and 慶賀 (qìnghè, to celebrate). Example: 祝賀你考上大學。(Zhùhè nǐ kǎoshàng dàxué.) Congratulations on getting into university.
Common mistake: Learners often confuse 賀 (hè) with 貨 (huò, goods), since both sit on 貝. Check the top: 賀 has 加, while 貨 has 化. Also keep the fourth tone. It is hè, not hé.
Common words with 賀
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
Questions about 賀
How many strokes are in 賀?
賀 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 賀 mean?
賀 (hè) means to congratulate; to send a present. A common word with it is 祝贺 (zhùhè), meaning "to congratulate; congratulations".
How do you pronounce 賀?
賀 is pronounced hè, in the fourth tone (falling).
What is the radical of 賀?
The radical of 賀 is 貝, which carries the idea of "sea shell". Dictionaries list 賀 under this radical.
What is the simplified form of 賀?
賀 is a traditional character. Its simplified form is 贺, used in mainland China and Singapore.
What is the difference between 祝賀 and 祝福?
祝賀 (zhùhè) congratulates someone on something that has already happened, like a wedding or a promotion. 祝福 (zhùfú) means to wish someone well for the future, like good health or happiness.
Is 賀 used in New Year greetings?
Yes. You will see 賀年 (hènián, to give New Year greetings) and 賀年卡 (hèniánkǎ, New Year card). The set phrase 恭賀新禧 (gōnghè xīnxǐ) is a formal way to say Happy New Year.