鸿 meaning and stroke order
A species of wild swan; vast
How to write 鸿, stroke by stroke
11 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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- 11
Meaning of 鸿
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- eastern bean goose
- great
- large
How 鸿 is built
Phono-semantic (sound + meaning) character. Bird.
鸟 gives the meaning and 江 hints at the sound.
Radical: 鸟 (bird), shared by 72 characters on this site.
How to remember 鸿
鸿 is a big bird 鸟 (niǎo) flying over the river 江 (jiāng). Picture a wild goose crossing a wide river, and you get both meanings: a large bird and something vast.
鸿 rarely stands alone. It appears in literary words and names, often for greatness or for letters, since geese were said to carry messages. Example: 他寄来一封飞鸿。(Tā jì lái yì fēng fēihóng.) He sent a letter.
Common mistake: Learners often read 鸿 as jiāng because of the 江 part, but it is hóng with a rising second tone. Do not confuse it with 红 (hóng, red), which sounds the same but has the silk radical 纟.
Common words with 鸿
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 飞鸿 | fēihóng | swan goose; (fig.) letter; message |
Questions about 鸿
How many strokes are in 鸿?
鸿 is written with 11 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 鸿 mean?
鸿 (hóng) means a species of wild swan; vast. A common word with it is 飞鸿 (fēihóng), meaning "swan goose; (fig.) letter; message".
How do you pronounce 鸿?
鸿 is pronounced hóng, in the second tone (rising).
What is the radical of 鸿?
The radical of 鸿 is 鸟, which carries the idea of "bird". Dictionaries list 鸿 under this radical.
What is the traditional form of 鸿?
The traditional form of 鸿 is 鴻. Traditional characters are used in Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau; 鸿 is the simplified form used in mainland China and Singapore.
What does 鸿沟 (hónggōu) mean?
鸿沟 means a wide gap or chasm. It is often used figuratively for a deep divide between people or ideas, as in 代沟 style contexts.
Why is 鸿 common in Chinese names?
Because it suggests greatness and high ambition, like a goose flying far. You see it in names such as 鸿飞 and in phrases like 鸿图 (hóngtú), a grand plan.