raise the head to look; look up to, rely on, admire
HSK 6, v, 6 strokes, radical 亻, rank #13413, Hard
yǎng(yang3) T3
1to face upward
2to look up
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March 24, 2026
仰yǎng(yang3)
The character '仰' primarily means to face upward or to look up, often used in contexts where one admires or relies on something or someone. It can convey a sense of respect or aspiration, indicating a figurative elevation of thoughts or feelings towards someone worthy of admiration.
Strokes6Radical亻Frequency#13413DifficultyHard
Cultural Note
In traditional Chinese culture, looking up to one's elders and mentors is a sign of respect and is deeply ingrained in social etiquette, symbolizing the importance of wisdom and guidance.
Memory Tip
Imagine a person named Yang looking up at a tall tree. The character '仰' has a person (亻) and a roof (上), suggesting someone raising their head to admire something above them, like the tree. Remembering 'Yang' as someone who 'looks up' can help you recall both the sound and meaning.
Meanings of 仰
yǎng(yang3)
1to face upward
2to look up
Exercise 1 of 2
Listen & Choose the Meaning
Choose the correct answer:
About 仰
仰Simplified
6Strokes
亻Radical
动词dòngcíverb (v.)Part of Speech
#13413Frequency Rank
HSK 3.0L6IntermediateHSKKL3CEFRC1
Podcast: 仰
Podcast: 仰
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AI Study Notes for 仰
Quick Contrast
仰 (look up) vs 望 (gaze) — use 仰 when emphasizing respect or aspiration, while 望 focuses more on simply looking or hoping.
Memory Mnemonic
Imagine a person named Yang looking up at a tall tree. The character '仰' has a person (亻) and a roof (上), suggesting someone raising their head to admire something above them, like the tree. Remembering 'Yang' as someone who 'looks up' can help you recall both the sound and meaning.
Usage Notes
Be cautious not to confuse '仰' with similar characters like '养' (to raise or nurture) as they have different tones and meanings. '仰' is more formal and often found in literary contexts, so it's important to match the register when using it.
HSK Study Tips
While '仰' is not included in the HSK vocabulary lists, it’s useful for understanding more advanced expressions. Students should focus on its usage in phrases like '仰望' (to look up to) or '仰赖' (to rely on), which can enhance vocabulary around admiration and aspiration.
Cultural Note
In traditional Chinese culture, looking up to one's elders and mentors is a sign of respect and is deeply ingrained in social etiquette, symbolizing the importance of wisdom and guidance.
Common Mistakes
Learners often confuse '仰' with '仿' (to imitate), leading to incorrect usage in sentences. For instance, saying '我仿望星空' instead of '我仰望星空' is incorrect; the former would mean 'I imitate the starry sky', which doesn't make sense.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 仰
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Grammar Patterns of 仰
仰 functions as a verb — the action or state of the sentence. The Chinese order is Subject + Verb + Object (我吃饭). Negate it with 不 (habitual / future) or 没(有) (completed action). Add aspect markers like 了, 过, 着 directly after the verb. It carries 6 related meanings, each with its own usage notes below. The example sentences below show it in action, with practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) on every line.
Exercise 1 of 4
Complete the Sentence
他们强烈感受到他们的宗教信____与政治体制不相称。
They feel strongly that their religion is incompatible with the political system.
Example Sentences for 仰 (10)
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1
他们强烈感受到他们的宗教信仰与政治体制不相称。
tā mén qiáng liè gǎn shòu dào tā mén de zōng jiào xìn yǎng yǔ zhèng zhì tǐ zhì bù xiāng chēng。
They feel strongly that their religion is incompatible with the political system.
2
你是在干涉人们的宗教信仰，他们并不喜欢你的做法。
nǐ shì zài gān shè rén mén de zōng jiào xìn yǎng， ， tā mén bìng bù xǐ huān nǐ de zuò。
You are messing with people's religion and they don't like that.
3
他们下面是无数张仰望的脸。
tā mén xià miàn shì wú shù zhāng yǎng wàng de liǎn。
Down below them was the sea of upturned faces.
4
他继续讲笑话，自己笑得前仰后合。
tā jì xù jiǎng xiào huà， ， zì jǐ xiào dé qián yǎng hòu。
He carried on telling a joke, laughing his head off.
5
他仍旧仰卧着，望着天上的云彩。
tā réng jiù yǎng wò zháo， ， wàng zháo tiān shàng de yún。
He continued to lie on his back and look at clouds.
6
然后，他便仰天倒下了。
rán hòu， ， tā biàn yǎng tiān dǎo xià。
He then keeled over and fell flat on his back.
7
很多人视他为信仰疗法术士。
hěn duō rén shì tā wéi xìn yǎng liáo fǎ shù shì。
A lot of people looked on him as a healer.
8
那名受伤的男子一动不动地仰面躺在那里。
nà míng shòu shāng de nán zǐ yī dòng bù dòng dì yǎng miàn tǎng zài nà lǐ。
The injured man was lying motionless on his back.
9
那匹马前蹄腾空向后仰，把骑手摔了下去。
nà pǐ mǎ qián tí téng kōng xiàng hòu yǎng， ， bǎ qí shǒu shuāi le xià。
The horse reared and threw off its rider.
10
她的中国朋友们说这位女皇是他们值得敬仰的祖先。
tā de zhōng guó péng yǒu mén shuō zhè wèi nǚ huáng shì tā mén zhí dé jìng yǎng de zǔ xiān。
Her Chinese friends referred to the Empress as their venerable ancestor.
Cultural Notes for 仰
🏮Cultural insight
In traditional Chinese culture, looking up to one's elders and mentors is a sign of respect and is deeply ingrained in social etiquette, symbolizing the importance of wisdom and guidance.
Word Family of 仰
Words Containing This Character20
信仰xìnyǎngfirm belief
仰yǎngto look up
仰望to look up at
仰慕to admire
敬仰to revere
久仰jiǔyǎngIt's an honor to meet you at last.
仰卧to lie supine仰臥
仰头to raise one's head仰頭
仰卧起坐sit-up (physical exercise)仰臥起坐
瞻仰zhānyǎngto revere
仰天to face upwards
景仰to admire
仰仗to rely on
仰光Yangon (Rangoon), main city of south Myanmar (Burma), the national capital until November 2005, when the capital moved to Naypyidaw 内比都 or Pyinmana 彬馬那 彬马那
仰泳backstroke
人仰马翻in a pitiful state人仰馬翻
俯仰(fig.) small move
仰赖to rely on仰賴
前仰后合qiányǎnghòuhéto sway to and fro前仰後合
仰韶文化Yangshao neolithic culture from the central Yellow river basin, with red and black pottery
Exercise 1 of 4
Compound Meaning
What does 信仰 mean?
Frequently Asked Questions about 仰
'仰' can be used in a sentence like '我仰望星空' (I look up at the starry sky), conveying both a literal and metaphorical sense of admiration.
'仰' generally has a positive connotation of admiration or respect, but in some contexts, it can indicate a kind of dependency that may not be perceived positively.
Common phrases include '仰望' (to look up to), '仰赖' (to rely on), and '仰头' (to raise one's head).
