Meanings of 揮
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About 揮
Podcast: 揮
Podcast: 揮
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AI Study Notes for 揮
挥 (huī) vs 摇 (yáo) — use 揮 when emphasizing a deliberate gesture or direction, while 摇 is more about shaking or swaying.
Common mistakes include confusing 揮 with similar characters like 揍 (zòu), which means 'to hit'. This character is generally used in both formal and informal contexts, but be cautious with the tone; it should always be pronounced in the first tone (huī) to convey the correct meaning. Typical collocations include 揮手 (huīshǒu, 'wave a hand') and 揮霍 (huīhuò, 'squander').
While 揮 is not included in the HSK levels, it connects well with other verb characters involving actions and gestures. Students should focus on recognizing its components and practicing its pronunciation to avoid mixing it with phonetically similar words.
Learners often mistakenly use 揮 in contexts that imply hitting or striking, confusing it with 揍 (zòu). For example, saying 揮打 (huī dǎ) instead of 揍 (zòu) when intending to say 'hit'.
Pronunciation of 揮
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Etymology of 揮
Simplified form of 揮. Phonosemantic compound. 扌 represents the meaning and 軍 represents the sound.
To direct an army 軍 by hand 扌
Jason Etymology Detective
Case file: 揮
Simplified form of 揮. Phonosemantic compound. 扌 represents the meaning and 軍 represents the sound.
- 1The giveawayTo direct an army 軍 by hand 扌
- 2On the record asideographic — someone drew an idea rather than an object.
Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.
Want the full history of 揮? Jason searches the paleographic record, weighs the competing accounts and judges the popular story.
Charged once for this character — everyone reads it afterwards.Character Formation Type
What type of character formation is 揮?
Decomposition of 揮
Identify the Components
Which of these is a component of 揮?
How to say to direct; to squander; to wave; to wipe away in Chinese
“to direct; to squander; to wave; to wipe away” in Chinese is揮
The character 揮 (huī) primarily means 'to wave' or 'to direct'. It is often used in contexts involving the act of gesturing or signaling, such as waving one's hand, as well as in more abstract uses, like directing attention or resources. The nuance can also imply a sense of squandering or carelessly using something, like money or time.
When to use 揮
Common mistakes include confusing 揮 with similar characters like 揍 (zòu), which means 'to hit'. This character is generally used in both formal and informal contexts, but be cautious with the tone; it should always be pronounced in the first tone (huī) to convey the correct meaning. Typical collocations include 揮手 (huīshǒu, 'wave a hand') and 揮霍 (huīhuò, 'squander').
揮 or something close to it
挥 (huī) vs 摇 (yáo) — use 揮 when emphasizing a deliberate gesture or direction, while 摇 is more about shaking or swaying.
What learners get wrong
Learners often mistakenly use 揮 in contexts that imply hitting or striking, confusing it with 揍 (zòu). For example, saying 揮打 (huī dǎ) instead of 揍 (zòu) when intending to say 'hit'.
Write 揮
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Practice writing 揮 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
Word Family of 揮
Compound Meaning
What does 发挥 mean?
Frequently Asked Questions about 揮
In financial contexts, 揮 can imply squandering or wasting resources, such as money or time, similar to how one might carelessly wave away money.
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