Mandarin TempleMandarin Temple Beta Come for Knowledge. Stay for Wisdom.
Start your Chinese Learning JourneyStart Now
熜 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
熜cōngchimney; torchzg, 15 strokes, radical 火
熜cōngchimney (old)unknown, 15 strokes, radical 火
熜cōngtorch made from hemp straw (old)unknown, 15 strokes, radical 火
熜zǒngchimney; torchzg, 15 strokes, radical 火
熜zǒngchimney (old)unknown, 15 strokes, radical 火
熜zǒngtorch made from hemp straw (old)unknown, 15 strokes, radical 火
cōng(cong1)
primary
 T1
  1. 1chimney; torch
  2. 2chimney (old)
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

熜cōng(cong1)

The character 熜 (cōng) primarily refers to a chimney or a torch, especially one made from hemp straw in historical contexts. It is often associated with the idea of fire and smoke, used in traditional settings where such structures were common.

Strokes15Radical火
Cultural Note

In ancient Chinese architecture, chimneys were essential for smoke ventilation from kitchens and heating, reflecting the importance of fire in daily life. The use of hemp straw for torches also ties back to traditional practices in rural communities.

Memory Tip

Imagine a chimney (熜) where smoke is billowing out, representing the 'fire' component of the character. The radical 火 (fire) at the bottom reminds you of the burning flames, while the top part looks like a 'crown' of smoke rising upwards, connecting to the sound 'cōng'.

Meanings of 熜

cōng(cong1)
primary
1chimney; torch
2chimney (old)
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 熜

熜Simplified
15Strokes
火Radical
状态词stative word (stat.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 熜

JasonAmy

Podcast: 熜

Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you

AI Study Notes for 熜

Usage Notes

While 使用 (shǐyòng) 'to use' is a common verb, be careful with the tone when using 熜; it can be confused with other similar-sounding characters. This term is more formal and less frequently used in modern language, often appearing in literary or historical texts.

HSK Study Tips

Although 熜 is not part of the HSK curriculum, understanding it can enrich your vocabulary related to fire and construction. Students should focus on the radicals and how they connect to similar words like 火 (huǒ) for fire.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 熜 with similar characters like 照 (zhào) meaning 'to shine,' leading to incorrect usage in sentences. For example, saying '我需要一个照' instead of '我需要一个熜' when referring to a torch.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 熜

Premium — Locked

AI tone practice

Pro

Drill the tone of 熜 with AI-powered exercises, get instant feedback, and earn XP toward mastery. Interactive tone practice is part of Pro.

Tone drillsInstant feedback+5 XP
See plans to unlock

Etymology of 熜

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

fire

Semantic (meaning)火
+
Phonetic (sound)悤
Learn more about Phono-semantic (形声字) characters

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 熜

  1. 1The meaning half火 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half悤 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
  3. 3The giveawayfire
  4. 4On the record aspictophonetic.

Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.

Want the full history of 熜? 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 熜?

Decomposition of 熜

IDS Structure⿰火悤
熜Full Character
=
火Huo3
left
悤cong1
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 熜?

How to say chimney; torch in Chinese

“chimney; torch” in Chinese is熜cōng

The character 熜 (cōng) primarily refers to a chimney or a torch, especially one made from hemp straw in historical contexts. It is often associated with the idea of fire and smoke, used in traditional settings where such structures were common.

When to use 熜

While 使用 (shǐyòng) 'to use' is a common verb, be careful with the tone when using 熜; it can be confused with other similar-sounding characters. This term is more formal and less frequently used in modern language, often appearing in literary or historical texts.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 熜 with similar characters like 照 (zhào) meaning 'to shine,' leading to incorrect usage in sentences. For example, saying '我需要一个照' instead of '我需要一个熜' when referring to a torch.

Write 熜

熜

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

Write correctly 3 times to earn XP

Word Family of 熜

Words Containing This Character1
熜cōngchimney (old)
Exercise 1 of 1

Compound Meaning

What does 熜 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 熜

In modern contexts, 熜 is not commonly used, but it historically referred to chimneys and torches.

Jason Recommends

Not sure what to learn after 熜?

Jason picks three words from your level and explains why each one is worth your time next. It takes a free account so he knows what you already know.