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烽 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
烽fēngbeacon, signal firen, 11 strokes, radical 火
烽fēngbeacon fireunknown, 11 strokes, radical 火
fēng(feng1)feng T1
  1. 1beacon, signal fire
  2. 2beacon fire
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March 24, 2026

烽fēng(feng1)

The character 烽 (fēng) refers to a beacon or signal fire, historically used for communication over long distances, particularly to alert of danger or to convey military messages. It is commonly used in historical contexts or in literature describing ancient China, where beacon fires played a crucial role in defense strategies.

Strokes11Radical火
Cultural Note

In ancient China, beacon fires were crucial for military communication and were set on high ground to ensure visibility over long distances, reflecting the strategic importance of communication in warfare.

Memory Tip

Imagine a large fire on a mountain top that signals nearby towns of an approaching enemy. The character 烽 looks like a fire (火) on a mountain (山) – both essential for conveying urgent messages. The pronunciation 'fēng' can be remembered as 'firing up the signal' to alert others.

Meanings of 烽

fēng(feng1)
1beacon, signal fire
2beacon fire
Exercise 1 of 2

By ear

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About 烽

烽Simplified
11Strokes
火Radical
名词míngcínoun (n.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 烽

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Podcast: 烽

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AI Study Notes for 烽

Usage Notes

Be mindful that 烽 is not commonly used in everyday conversation and may appear more in literary or historical contexts. It is often paired with other words like '烽火' (signal fire) to specify its use. Avoid confusing it with similar-sounding characters, which may have different meanings.

HSK Study Tips

Though 烽 is not part of the HSK vocabulary, understanding its meaning can enhance your comprehension of historical texts and literature. Focus on recognizing it in context, particularly in readings about ancient military strategies.

Common Mistakes

Learners sometimes confuse 烽 with other characters that contain the fire radical (火) but have different meanings, such as 烈 (liè), which means 'intense'. Remember that 烽 specifically refers to a beacon or signal fire.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 烽

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Etymology of 烽

Formation Typepictophonetic
六书 ClassificationPhono-semantic (形声字)~80-90% of characters
Memory Hint

fire

Semantic (meaning)火
+
Phonetic (sound)夆
Learn more about Phono-semantic (形声字) characters
Exercise 1 of 1

Origin

烽 = 火 + 夆. What kind of character does that make it?

Decomposition of 烽

IDS Structure⿰火夆
烽Full Character
=
火Huo3
left
夆feng2
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Parts

Which of these is part of 烽?

How to say beacon, signal fire in Chinese

“beacon, signal fire” in Chinese is烽fēng

The character 烽 (fēng) refers to a beacon or signal fire, historically used for communication over long distances, particularly to alert of danger or to convey military messages. It is commonly used in historical contexts or in literature describing ancient China, where beacon fires played a crucial role in defense strategies.

When to use 烽

Be mindful that 烽 is not commonly used in everyday conversation and may appear more in literary or historical contexts. It is often paired with other words like '烽火' (signal fire) to specify its use. Avoid confusing it with similar-sounding characters, which may have different meanings.

What learners get wrong

Learners sometimes confuse 烽 with other characters that contain the fire radical (火) but have different meanings, such as 烈 (liè), which means 'intense'. Remember that 烽 specifically refers to a beacon or signal fire.

Write 烽

烽

Practice writing 烽 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.

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Word Family of 烽

Words Containing This Character7
烽烟fire beacon (used as alarm signal over long distance)烽煙
烽火fire beacon (to give alarm)
烽fēngbeacon fire
息烽Xifeng county in Guiyang 貴陽|贵阳[Guì​yáng], Guizhou
息烽县Xifeng county in Guiyang 貴陽|贵阳[Guì​yáng], Guizhou息烽縣
烽燧fire beacon tower (used in frontier regions in former times to relay information about the enemy, using smoke by day and fire at night)
烽火四起the fire of war in all four directions (idiom); the confusion of war
Exercise 1 of 4

Words with 烽

What does 烽烟 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 烽

It is pronounced as 'fēng'.

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