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March 24, 2026
恢huī(hui1)
The character 恢 (huī) primarily means 'to restore' or 'to recover.' It is often used in contexts relating to the return to a previous state, such as recovering health or restoring a system. This character can also imply greatness, as in vastness or immensity.
Strokes9Radical忄Frequency#65429DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note
In traditional Chinese medicine, the concept of recovery is crucial, and terms like 恢 are often used when discussing the restoration of health. This reflects the cultural emphasis on balance and recovery in health practices.
Memory Tip
Imagine a vast wave (恢) crashing down and then receding, symbolizing the process of restoring or recovering something to its original state. The character combines the radical for 'heart' (心) which is suggestive of deep feelings involved in the act of recovery, and the element that resembles 'returning' to a previous state.
Meanings of 恢
huī(hui1)
1to restore
2to recover
Exercise 1 of 3
Listen & Choose the Meaning
Choose the correct answer:
About 恢
恢Simplified
9Strokes
忄Radical
状态词stative word (stat.)Part of Speech
#65429Frequency Rank
Podcast: 恢
Podcast: 恢
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AI Study Notes for 恢
Quick Contrast
恢复 (huīfù) vs 复原 (fùyuán) — use 恢 (huī) when emphasizing the act of restoration, while 恢复 (huīfù) typically refers to the process of recovery, and 复原 (fùyuán) often implies returning to an original state or form.
Usage Notes
Learners often confuse 恢 with similar characters like 回 (huí), which means 'to return' but does not carry the connotation of recovery or restoration. It is used in both formal and informal contexts, with common collocations like 恢复 (huīfù, to restore) and 恢弘 (huīhóng, to expand greatly). Pay attention to the fourth tone in pronunciation, as mispronouncing can change its meaning.
HSK Study Tips
While 恢 is not included in the HSK levels, it can be linked to words such as 恢复 (huīfù) which is relevant for students at HSK 4. Focus on the usage of 恢 in compound words to understand its broader meanings in different contexts.
Common Mistakes
Learners may mistakenly use 恢 in place of 回 when they mean 'to return,' leading to incorrect phrases like 恢家 (incorrect) instead of 回家 (huíjiā, to return home). Additionally, some may mispronounce it as huí instead of huī, which alters its meaning.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 恢
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Phonosemantic compound. 忄 represents the meaning and 灰 represents the sound.
1The meaning half忄 carries the sense.
2The sound half灰 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
3The giveawayheart
4On the record aspictophonetic.
Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.
Want the full history of 恢? Jason searches the paleographic record, weighs the competing accounts and judges the popular story.
Charged once for this character — everyone reads it afterwards.
Exercise 1 of 1
Character Formation Type
What type of character formation is 恢?
Decomposition of 恢
IDS Structure⿰忄灰
恢Full Character
=
忄xin1
left
灰hui1
right
Exercise 1 of 2
Identify the Components
Which of these is a component of 恢?
How to say to restore in Chinese
“to restore” in Chinese is恢huī
The character 恢 (huī) primarily means 'to restore' or 'to recover.' It is often used in contexts relating to the return to a previous state, such as recovering health or restoring a system. This character can also imply greatness, as in vastness or immensity.
When to use 恢
Learners often confuse 恢 with similar characters like 回 (huí), which means 'to return' but does not carry the connotation of recovery or restoration. It is used in both formal and informal contexts, with common collocations like 恢复 (huīfù, to restore) and 恢弘 (huīhóng, to expand greatly). Pay attention to the fourth tone in pronunciation, as mispronouncing can change its meaning.
恢 or something close to it
恢复 (huīfù) vs 复原 (fùyuán) — use 恢 (huī) when emphasizing the act of restoration, while 恢复 (huīfù) typically refers to the process of recovery, and 复原 (fùyuán) often implies returning to an original state or form.
What learners get wrong
Learners may mistakenly use 恢 in place of 回 when they mean 'to return,' leading to incorrect phrases like 恢家 (incorrect) instead of 回家 (huíjiā, to return home). Additionally, some may mispronounce it as huí instead of huī, which alters its meaning.
Write 恢
恢
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Grammar Patterns of 恢
恢 carries 4 distinct meanings. Below you'll find the patterns that show how it combines with other words, plus example sentences pulled directly from native usage.
