Browse "HSK4" Characters

Every character has an origin. Discover the pictographs, myths, and history behind each Chinese character — with pinyin, stroke order, HSK level, and audio pronunciation.

Born from a flying bird and a walking path, 速 is

guàng

Originally ‘light-walking,’ 逛 captures China’s

tōng

Originally a bronze-age image of sound flowing thr

Its ancient form pictured rice grains scattered on

This ‘spicy’ character didn’t exist in ancient

xīn

This 7-stroke character began as a double-bladed e

zhuǎn

Born from a chariot + spinning wheel, this 8-strok

shū

This 'loss' character literally began as 'shipping

tǎng

This ‘recline’ character hides a 2,300-year-old

This 'distance' character began as a giant footste

tāng

This character looks like 'walk' + 'ceremonial ves

gǎn

Originally a pictograph of driving cattle with a s

yíng

This 17-stroke 'win' character hides a turtle — s

gòu

Its 'shell' radical reveals it began as ancient cu

zhuàn

Its left side is a shell — ancient Chinese money

zhì

Originally a hostage pledged under a cliff-shelter

This 'resources' character hides ancient shell-mon

This 'congratulate' character hides ancient shell-

fèi

Born from a hand prying open ancient shell-money,

Originally a pictograph of demanding repayment in

huò

Born from ancient cowrie shells and the concept of

This six-stroke character looks like a person crus

mào

Born from a beast radical and a kneeling figure,

xiàng

This 'elephant' character secretly birthed the ent

This 7-stroke character began as 'speech + change'

jǐng

This 'alert' character hides a reverent ancestor—

lùn

This 'opinion' character began as a bronze-age sca

liàng

This 'speech + good' character started as a vow of

tán

Originally built from 'speech' + 'flame'—not for

This 'friendship' character hides a quiet revoluti

Its radical 讠 (speech) + 'wù' (interference) vis

chéng

This 'sincere' character began as a city wall — w

xiáng

Born from ritual speech and sheep symbolism, 详 ev

píng

Originally ‘level speech’—a visual fusion of ‘

zhèng

Despite dictionaries saying ‘to admonish’, 证 ha

This 'allow' character hides a noon hour in its co

tǎo

This 5-stroke character began as 'measured speech'

Though only 4 strokes, 计 hides millennia of strat

yán

Originally a Bronze Age mouth blowing three breath

guān

This 'look' character began as an owl-eyed sage on