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鄂 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
èHubei province; startlednr, 11 strokes, radical 阝, rank #39578, Very Hard
èabbr. for Hubei Province 湖北省[Hu2 bei3 Sheng3] in central Chinaunknown, 11 strokes, radical 阝, rank #39578, Very Hard
èsurname Eunknown, 11 strokes, radical 阝, rank #39578, Very Hard
è(E4) T4
  1. 1Hubei province; startled
  2. 2abbr. for Hubei Province 湖北省[Hu2 bei3 Sheng3] in central China
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026
è(E4)

鄂 (è) primarily refers to Hubei Province in central China, known for its rich history and culture. It can also mean startled, and is used as a surname. The character is often encountered in geographical and administrative contexts.

Strokes11RadicalFrequency#39578DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note

Hubei Province is home to the Yangtze River and significant cultural sites, making 鄂 an essential character in discussions about Chinese geography and heritage. The province is also known for its unique cuisine and historical significance during various dynasties.

Memory Tip

Imagine a startled person (the meaning of 'startled') standing in front of a large map of Hubei Province, with the character 鄂 shaped like the outline of a province. The 'E' sound in the pinyin connects to the startled cry 'Eh!' when someone is surprised.

Meanings of 鄂

è(E4)
1Hubei province; startled
2abbr. for Hubei Province 湖北省[Hu2 bei3 Sheng3] in central China
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 鄂

Simplified
11Strokes
Radical
人名míngcíproper noun (pr.n.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 鄂

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Podcast:

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AI Study Notes for 鄂

Memory Mnemonic

Imagine a startled person (the meaning of 'startled') standing in front of a large map of Hubei Province, with the character 鄂 shaped like the outline of a province. The 'E' sound in the pinyin connects to the startled cry 'Eh!' when someone is surprised.

Usage Notes

鄂 is typically used in formal contexts related to geography or government. Be cautious not to confuse it with similar-sounding characters, especially in tones, as mispronunciation can lead to misunderstandings. Common collocations include 湖北省 (Hubei Province), where 鄂 acts as an abbreviation.

HSK Study Tips

Although 鄂 is not officially listed in the HSK, it is relevant for learners interested in place names. Students should focus on recognizing this character in contexts referring to Hubei and understand its role as an abbreviation.

Cultural Note

Hubei Province is home to the Yangtze River and significant cultural sites, making 鄂 an essential character in discussions about Chinese geography and heritage. The province is also known for its unique cuisine and historical significance during various dynasties.

Common Mistakes

A common mistake is to confuse 鄂 with other characters that have similar sounds or meanings, such as 鬱 (yù), which means 'depressed'. Always remember that 鄂 specifically refers to Hubei or the idea of being startled.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 鄂

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Etymology of 鄂

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

place

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

Character Formation Type

What type of character formation is 鄂?

Decomposition of 鄂

IDS Structure⿰咢阝
Full Character
=
e4
left
yi4
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 鄂?

Write 鄂

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

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Grammar Patterns of 鄂

鄂 functions as a noun — it names a person, place, thing, or concept. Place it as a subject before the verb (主+谓) or as an object after the verb (谓+宾). Most Chinese nouns require a measure word between the number and the noun (e.g. 一个/三本). It carries 3 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.

Exercise 1 of 2

Complete the Sentence

解放时只剩2000多____伦春族人了.

Only 2000 Olunchun people were left at the time of the liberation.

Example Sentences for 鄂 (1)

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1
解放时只剩2000多鄂伦春族人了.

jiě fàng shí zhī shèng2000 2000 duō è lún chūn zú rén.

Only 2000 Olunchun people were left at the time of the liberation.

Cultural Notes for 鄂

🏮Cultural insight

Hubei Province is home to the Yangtze River and significant cultural sites, making 鄂 an essential character in discussions about Chinese geography and heritage. The province is also known for its unique cuisine and historical significance during various dynasties.

Word Family of 鄂

Words Containing This Character17
èsurname E
鄂尔多斯Ordos, region of Inner Mongolia administered as a prefecture-level city, and a people of the region鄂爾多斯
毕尔巴鄂Bilbao (city in Spain)畢爾巴鄂
鄂州Ezhou prefecture-level city in Hubei
鄂尔多斯市Ordos prefecture-level city in Inner Mongolia鄂爾多斯市
鄂州市Ezhou prefecture-level city in Hubei
鄂伦春Oroqen or Orochon (ethnic group)鄂倫春
鄂托克旗Otog banner or Otgiin khoshuu in Ordos 鄂爾多斯|鄂尔多斯[E​'ěr​duō​sī], Inner Mongolia
鄂温克族Ewenke ethnic group of Inner Mongolia鄂溫克族
鄂霍次克海Sea of Okhotsk
鄂尔多斯高原Ordos Plateau, Inner Mongolia鄂爾多斯高原
鄂城Echeng district of Ezhou city 鄂州市[E​zhōu​shì], Hubei
鄂伦春自治旗Oroqin Autonomous Banner in Hulunbuir 呼倫貝爾|呼伦贝尔[Hū​lún​bèi​'ěr], Inner Mongolia鄂倫春自治旗
鄂托克前旗Otog Front banner or Otgiin Ömnöd khoshuu in Ordos 鄂爾多斯|鄂尔多斯[E​'ěr​duō​sī], Inner Mongolia
鄂城区Echeng district of Ezhou city 鄂州市[E​zhōu​shì], Hubei鄂城區
胡鄂公Hu Egong (1884-1951), Chinese revolutionary and politician
鄂尔多斯沙漠Ordos Desert, Inner Mongolia鄂爾多斯沙漠
Exercise 1 of 4

Compound Meaning

What does 鄂 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 鄂

In daily conversation, 鄂 is most commonly used to refer to Hubei Province.