高 meaning and stroke order
High; tall; above average
How to write 高, stroke by stroke
10 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 高
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- high
- tall
- above average
- loud
- your (honorific)
How 高 is built
Pictographic character. A tall palace.
How to remember 高
高 (gāo) is a picture of a tall palace. The 亠 on top is the roof, 口 is a window or upper floor, and 冋 at the bottom is the wide base with a door, stacked up high like a tower.
高 describes height for people, buildings, and mountains, and also levels, prices, and voices, as in 高级 (gāojí) high level or 提高 (tígāo) to raise. It also appears in the very common word 高兴 (gāoxìng) happy. Example: 他很高。(Tā hěn gāo.) He is tall.
Common mistake: Learners often confuse 高 (gāo) with 亮 (liàng, bright), which shares the same top. They also mix up 高 with 长 (cháng). Use 高 for vertical height and 长 for length.
Common words with 高
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 高兴 | gāoxìng | happy; glad | HSK 1 |
| 高中 | gāozhōng | senior high school (abbr. for 高級中學|高级中学[gao1 ji2 zhong1 xue2]) | HSK 2 |
| 提高 | tígāo | to raise; to increase | HSK 2 |
| 高级 | gāojí | high level; high grade | HSK 2 |
| 高速公路 | gāosù gōnglù | expressway; highway; freeway | HSK 3 |
| 高速 | gāosù | high speed; expressway (abbr. for 高速公路[gao1 su4 gong1 lu4]) | HSK 3 |
| 跳高 | tiàogāo | (athletics) high jump | HSK 3 |
| 高潮 | gāocháo | high tide; high water; upsurge; peak of activity | HSK 4 |
| 高尚 | gāoshàng | noble; lofty | HSK 4 |
| 身高 | shēngāo | (a person's) height | HSK 4 |
| 高价 | gāojià | high price | HSK 4 |
| 高铁 | gāotiě | high speed rail | HSK 4 |
| 高度 | gāodù | height; altitude | HSK 5 |
| 高大 | gāodà | tall; lofty; towering | HSK 5 |
高 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Characters that contain 高
Learning 高 makes these easier to recognize and write.
Questions about 高
How many strokes are in 高?
高 is written with 10 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 高 mean?
高 (gāo) means high; tall; above average. A common word with it is 高兴 (gāoxìng), meaning "happy; glad".
How do you pronounce 高?
高 is pronounced gāo, in the first tone (high and level).
Is 高 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 高 is part of the HSK 1 character list in the HSK 3.0 standard, and you are expected to write it by hand from HSK 1.
How do I ask how tall someone is using 高?
Say 你多高？(Nǐ duō gāo?) How tall are you? A typical answer is 我一米七。(Wǒ yì mǐ qī.) I am 1.7 meters.
Why is 高 used as a polite word for your?
In set phrases 高 shows respect by raising up the other person. A common example is 您贵姓高寿 style speech, and especially 高见 (gāojiàn), your brilliant opinion. It mostly appears in formal or fixed expressions.