HSK 3, q, 9 strokes, radical 寸, rank #1147, Medium
封
fēng
surname Feng
HSK 3, q, 9 strokes, radical 寸, rank #1147, Medium
封
fēng
to confer
HSK 3, q, 9 strokes, radical 寸, rank #1147, Medium
封
fēng
to grant
HSK 3, q, 9 strokes, radical 寸, rank #1147, Medium
封
fēng
to bestow a title
HSK 3, q, 9 strokes, radical 寸, rank #1147, Medium
封
fēng
to seal
HSK 3, q, 9 strokes, radical 寸, rank #1147, Medium
封
fēng
envelope, letter; to confer, to grant; feudal
HSK 3, q, 9 strokes, radical 寸, rank #1147, Medium
fēng(feng1) T1
1classifier for sealed objects, esp. letters
2to confer
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March 24, 2026
封fēng(feng1)
The character 封 (fēng) primarily means 'to seal' or 'to confer a title'. It is commonly used in administrative and formal contexts, such as when granting titles or sealing documents. In everyday usage, it can also refer to an envelope or letter, making it versatile across both formal and informal settings.
Strokes9Radical寸Frequency#1147DifficultyMedium
Cultural Note
In traditional Chinese culture, titles and seals were of great importance, representing authority and legitimacy. The act of conferring a title was a significant event, often marking someone's social status or role within the community.
Memory Tip
Imagine a royal seal on an envelope, marking an important letter. The character 封 looks like an envelope being closed with a seal on top, helping you remember that it means 'to seal' or 'to confer'. The sound 'fēng' can remind you of 'fong' in 'fong shui', where titles and seals play significant roles.
Meanings of 封
fēng(feng1)
1classifier for sealed objects, esp. letters
2to confer
Exercise 1 of 3
Listen & Choose the Meaning
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About 封
封Simplified
9Strokes
寸Radical
量词liàngcímeasure word (mw.)Part of Speech
#1147Frequency Rank
HSK 3.0L3ElementaryTOCFLL2YCTL3HSKKL1CEFRA1
Podcast: 封
Podcast: 封
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AI Study Notes for 封
Quick Contrast
信 (xìn) — use 封 when referring to the act of sealing or conferring, while 信 specifically denotes a letter or message.
Memory Mnemonic
Imagine a royal seal on an envelope, marking an important letter. The character 封 looks like an envelope being closed with a seal on top, helping you remember that it means 'to seal' or 'to confer'. The sound 'fēng' can remind you of 'fong' in 'fong shui', where titles and seals play significant roles.
Usage Notes
Be careful not to confuse 封 with similar sounding characters, such as 风 (fēng), which means 'wind'. While 封 is often used in formal contexts, it can also appear in everyday language, particularly when discussing letters or sealed documents. Common collocations include 封信 (sealed letter) and 封号 (to confer a title).
HSK Study Tips
Although 封 is not currently in the official HSK levels, it relates to HSK vocabulary around formal communication, such as letters and titles. Students should focus on its various uses to enhance their understanding of formal and administrative language.
Cultural Note
In traditional Chinese culture, titles and seals were of great importance, representing authority and legitimacy. The act of conferring a title was a significant event, often marking someone's social status or role within the community.
Common Mistakes
Learners often confuse 封 with 风 (fēng), leading to misinterpretation of context. For example, saying '我封了窗户' (Wǒ fēngle chuānghù) incorrectly implies sealing a window instead of saying 'I closed the window', which should use 关 (guān).
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 封
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Grammar Patterns of 封
封 functions as a measure word. Place it between a number/demonstrative and the noun it counts (一本书, 这个人). Different categories of nouns require different measure words. It carries 7 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.
An e-mail is already circulating amongst news staff calling for voluntary redundancies.
Cultural Notes for 封
💡Did you know?
In traditional Chinese culture, sealing letters was very important. It symbolized trust and confidentiality. The use of wax seals was common in historical correspondence.
🏮Cultural insight
In traditional Chinese culture, titles and seals were of great importance, representing authority and legitimacy. The act of conferring a title was a significant event, often marking someone's social status or role within the community.
Word Family of 封
Compounds9
崶
犎feng1zebu; humped-ox
葑feng1the rape-turnip
堼
幇
幫bang1to help, to assist; to support, to defend; party; gang
湗
篈
鞤
Words Containing This Character20
封fēngto confer
封面fēngmiàncover (of a publication)
封锁fēngsuǒto blockade封鎖
封闭fēngbìto seal封閉
信封xìnfēngenvelope
密封mìfēngto seal up
封建fēngjiànfeudalism
封杀to shut out封殺
查封to sequester
开封old name Bianliang 汴梁開封
封存to sequester
封顶fēngdǐngto top off封頂
封口to close up
尘封dusty塵封
封装to encapsulate封裝
封建社会feudal society封建社會
冰封to freeze over
原封不动untouched原封不動
封建主义feudalism封建主義
封条seal封條
Exercise 1 of 4
Compound Meaning
What does 犎 mean?
Frequently Asked Questions about 封
封 (fēng) generally means 'to seal' or 'to close', while 盖 (gài) means 'to cover' or 'to lid'. While both involve enclosing an object, 封 emphasizes the act of sealing it securely, whereas 盖 refers more to placing something on top.
The character 封 (fēng) is commonly used as a surname in China. It's important to note that in a name, it may carry different connotations, often relating to honor or nobility, depending on the context in which it is used.
封 (fēng) can mean several things in Chinese. It is used as a verb meaning 'to seal' or 'to grant', and it can also refer to a classifier for sealed objects, particularly letters. Additionally, 封 is a common surname in China.
You can use 封 (fēng) in sentences like '我封住了信封' which means 'I sealed the envelope'. It can also be used in formal contexts such as '他获得了封赏' meaning 'He was granted an award'.
In a letter context, 封 means 'to seal', referring to the action of closing an envelope.
Yes, 封 can be used in everyday conversation, especially when talking about letters or titles.
The correct pronunciation is 'fēng', with a high level tone.
