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阖 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
阖héto close; whole, entire, alln, 13 strokes, radical 门, rank #42958, Very Hard
阖hédoorunknown, 13 strokes, radical 门, rank #42958, Very Hard
hé(he2) T2
  1. 1to close; whole, entire, all
  2. 2door
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

阖(闔)hé(he2)

The character 阖 (hé) refers to the act of closing or shutting something, typically a door. It can also imply the concept of wholeness or entirety, indicating that something is complete or all-encompassing. This character is often used in formal contexts, such as literature or ceremonial language, to convey a sense of totality.

Strokes13Radical门Frequency#42958DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, the concept of 'wholeness' is significant in various contexts, including family and community. The character 阖 is often associated with the idea of unity, especially during festivals where families come together, symbolizing closure and togetherness.

Memory Tip

Imagine a grand door (阖) that, when closed, signifies the completion of a journey. The shape of the character resembles a door that is shut tight, symbolizing wholeness and closure. The pronunciation 'hé' can remind you of 'hey,' as if you're calling someone to come and see the whole place once the door is closed.

Meanings of 阖

hé(he2)
1to close; whole, entire, all
2door
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 阖

阖Simplified
闔Traditional
13Strokes
门Radical
名词míngcínoun (n.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 阖

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Podcast: 阖

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AI Study Notes for 阖

Usage Notes

Be cautious with the tone when pronouncing 'hé,' as mispronunciation can lead to misunderstandings with similar-sounding words. Use this character in formal writing or speeches rather than everyday conversations. Common collocations include 阖家 (hé jiā, whole family) and 阖门 (hé mén, closed door).

HSK Study Tips

While 阖 is not part of the official HSK vocabulary, it is beneficial for learners aiming for higher proficiency. Students should focus on recognizing its use in literary texts and understanding its relationship with other characters related to closure and completeness, such as 关 (guān, to close).

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 阖 with 关 (guān), both meaning 'to close,' but 阖 has a broader connotation of wholeness. For example, saying '我关门' (wǒ guān mén) is correct, but substituting with 阖 in everyday contexts might sound overly formal.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 阖

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Etymology of 阖

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

Phonosemantic compound. 门 represents the meaning and 盍 represents the sound. Simplified form of 闔.

Memory Hint

gate

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

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 阖

Phonosemantic compound. 门 represents the meaning and 盍 represents the sound. Simplified form of 闔.

  1. 1The meaning half门 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half盍 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
  3. 3The giveawaygate
  4. 4On the record aspictophonetic.

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

Want the full history of 阖? 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 阖?

Decomposition of 阖

IDS Structure⿵门盍
阖Full Character
=
门Men2
enclosing
盍he2
inner
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 阖?

How to say to close; whole, entire, all in Chinese

“to close; whole, entire, all” in Chinese is阖hé

The character 阖 (hé) refers to the act of closing or shutting something, typically a door. It can also imply the concept of wholeness or entirety, indicating that something is complete or all-encompassing. This character is often used in formal contexts, such as literature or ceremonial language, to convey a sense of totality.

When to use 阖

Be cautious with the tone when pronouncing 'hé,' as mispronunciation can lead to misunderstandings with similar-sounding words. Use this character in formal writing or speeches rather than everyday conversations. Common collocations include 阖家 (hé jiā, whole family) and 阖门 (hé mén, closed door).

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 阖 with 关 (guān), both meaning 'to close,' but 阖 has a broader connotation of wholeness. For example, saying '我关门' (wǒ guān mén) is correct, but substituting with 阖 in everyday contexts might sound overly formal.

Write 阖

阖

Practice writing 阖 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 阖

Words Containing This Character3
阖hédoor闔
阖家whole family闔家
阖第光临the whole family is invited (idiom)闔第光臨
Exercise 1 of 3

Compound Meaning

What does 阖 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 阖

阖 is often used in formal or literary contexts to describe closure or wholeness, rather than in everyday spoken language.

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