HSK 4, v, 10 strokes, radical 艹, rank #3864, Medium
获
huò
to obtain
HSK 4, v, 10 strokes, radical 艹, rank #3864, Medium
获
huò
to capture
HSK 4, v, 10 strokes, radical 艹, rank #3864, Medium
获
huò
to reap
HSK 4, v, 10 strokes, radical 艹, rank #3864, Medium
获
huò
to harvest
HSK 4, v, 10 strokes, radical 艹, rank #3864, Medium
获
huò
to get, to obtain, to receive, to sieze
HSK 4, v, 10 strokes, radical 艹, rank #3864, Medium
huò(huo4) T4
1to catch
2to obtain
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026
获(獲)huò(huo4)
The character 获 (huò) primarily means 'to obtain' or 'to catch,' often used in contexts related to acquiring something tangible or intangible. It can refer to harvesting crops, capturing animals, or gaining knowledge or skills. This term often conveys a sense of achievement or success in acquiring something valuable.
Strokes10Radical艹Frequency#3864DifficultyMedium
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, the act of harvesting (获) is celebrated during festivals like the Mid-Autumn Festival, which symbolizes the gathering of crops and the importance of family and community in sharing the harvest.
Memory Tip
Imagine a farmer with a large net (the character's radical '艹' for plants) catching a harvest of fruits and vegetables (the character's other component '获' visually resembling something being caught). This imagery connects the idea of obtaining or harvesting with the sound 'huò' as you visualize the fruitful catch.
Meanings of 获
huò(huo4)
1to catch
2to obtain
Exercise 1 of 2
Listen & Choose the Meaning
Choose the correct answer:
About 获
获Simplified
獲Traditional
10Strokes
艹Radical
动词dòngcíverb (v.)Part of Speech
#3864Frequency Rank
HSK 3.0L4IntermediateTOCFLL4HSKKL2CEFRB1
Podcast: 获
Podcast: 获
Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you
New here?
AI Study Notes for 获
Quick Contrast
获取 (huòqǔ) vs 获得 (huòdé) — use 获 when emphasizing the act of catching or obtaining in a more immediate sense.
Memory Mnemonic
Imagine a farmer with a large net (the character's radical '艹' for plants) catching a harvest of fruits and vegetables (the character's other component '获' visually resembling something being caught). This imagery connects the idea of obtaining or harvesting with the sound 'huò' as you visualize the fruitful catch.
Usage Notes
Common mistakes include confusing 获 with similar-sounding characters, such as 货 (huò), which means 'goods.' This character is more formal and is often used in written Chinese, so be mindful of the context when speaking. It frequently collocates with words like '收益' (shōuyì - 'profit') and '奖' (jiǎng - 'award') to denote what has been obtained.
HSK Study Tips
Although 获 is not part of the official HSK levels, it is useful for learners at HSK 4 and above, especially in contexts related to business or agriculture. Focus on using it in phrases that describe achievements or gains to reinforce its meaning.
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, the act of harvesting (获) is celebrated during festivals like the Mid-Autumn Festival, which symbolizes the gathering of crops and the importance of family and community in sharing the harvest.
Common Mistakes
Learners often confuse 获 with the verb 取得 (qǔdé), which also means 'to obtain.' While both are correct, 取得 is more commonly used in everyday conversation. For example, saying '我获了证书' (Wǒ huòle zhèngshū) is incorrect; it should be '我取得了证书' (Wǒ qǔdéle zhèngshū).
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 获
Premium — Locked
AI tone practice
Pro
Drill the tone of 获 with AI-powered exercises, get instant feedback, and earn XP toward mastery. Interactive tone practice is part of Pro.
New here? to save your writing progress and earn XP.
Practice writing 获 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
Write correctly 3 times to earn XP
Grammar Patterns of 获
获 functions as a verb — the action or state of the sentence. The Chinese order is Subject + Verb + Object (我吃饭). Negate it with 不 (habitual / future) or 没(有) (completed action). Add aspect markers like 了, 过, 着 directly after the verb. It carries 6 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.
A degree does not give you a divine right to wealth.
8
我们得到了通常难以获取的大量数据。
wǒ mén dé dào le tōng cháng nán yǐ huò qǔ de dà liáng shù jù。
We gained a rich supply of data which would normally be inaccessible.
9
他们完全是凭体育特长才获得了大学奖学金。
tā mén wán quán shì píng tǐ yù tè cháng cái huò dé le dà xué jiǎng xué jīn。
They have been given college scholarships purely on athletic ability.
10
戴维斯落后了差不多两秒，获得第三名。
dài wéi sī luò hòu le chà bù duō liǎng miǎo， ， huò dé dì sān。
Davies finished almost two seconds in arrears for third place.
Cultural Notes for 获
💡Did you know?
In Chinese culture, the concept of '获' extends beyond just obtaining physical objects; it also applies to gaining knowledge and experiences, which are highly valued.
🏮Cultural insight
In Chinese culture, the act of harvesting (获) is celebrated during festivals like the Mid-Autumn Festival, which symbolizes the gathering of crops and the importance of family and community in sharing the harvest.
📜Proverb
The saying '得之不易' (obtaining it is not easy) reflects the importance of hard work in achieving one's goals.
Word Family of 获
Words Containing This Character20
获得huòdéto obtain獲得
获huòto catch獲
获胜huòshèngvictorious獲勝
收获shōuhuòto harvest收穫
获取huòqǔto gain獲取
获悉huòxīto learn of sth獲悉
获奖huòjiǎngto win an award獲獎
抓获to arrest抓獲
一无所获to gain nothing一無所獲
获利profit獲利
获得者recipient獲得者
获救to rescue獲救
荣获rónghuòbe honored with榮獲
捕获to catch捕獲
截获to intercept截獲
查获cháhuòto track down and seize (a criminal suspect, contraband etc)查獲
获准to obtain permission獲准
俘获fúhuòto capture (enemy property or personnel)俘獲
破获to uncover (a criminal plot)破獲
获奖者prize-winner穫獎者
Exercise 1 of 4
Compound Meaning
What does 获得 mean?
Frequently Asked Questions about 获
Some synonyms for 获 (huò) include 得 (dé), which also means 'to obtain', and 捕 (bǔ), which means 'to catch'. Each word may have specific contexts where it is more appropriate to use.
获 (huò) is more commonly used in written Chinese and formal speech. In everyday conversation, people might use other terms like 得 (dé) more frequently to convey similar meanings.
获 (huò) means 'to catch', 'to obtain', or 'to capture'. It is often used in contexts where acquiring something or achieving a goal is involved, such as winning a prize or obtaining a skill.
You can use 获 (huò) in various contexts, such as '我获了奖' (wǒ huò le jiǎng), meaning 'I won a prize'. It can also be used in more formal contexts, like '他获得了成功' (tā huò dé le chéng gōng), meaning 'He achieved success'.
Some common phrases include '获得奖学金' (huòdé jiǎngxuéjīn - 'to obtain a scholarship') and '获得成功' (huòdé chénggōng - 'to achieve success').
'我获得了第一名' (Wǒ huòdéle dì yī míng - 'I obtained first place').
It is more commonly used in written Chinese, especially in formal contexts, rather than in everyday spoken language.
