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鴻 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
Hanzi
Pinyin
English
Tags
鴻
hóng
a species of wild swan; vast
x, 17 strokes, radical 鳥
hóng(hong2)hong T2
1a species of wild swan; vast
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March 24, 2026
鴻hóng(hong2)
The character 鴻 (hóng) primarily refers to a large species of wild swan, symbolizing grace and beauty in nature. It is also used metaphorically to describe something vast or grand, often in literary contexts, conveying a sense of magnificence or expansive quality.
Strokes17Radical鳥
Cultural note
In Chinese literature, the swan is often associated with purity and noble aspirations. The character 鴻 is used in classical poetry to evoke imagery of beauty and grandeur, often representing lofty ideals or ambitions.
Memory tip
Imagine a majestic swan gliding across a vast lake. The top half of the character 鴻 resembles the broad wings of the swan, while the bottom part suggests the water beneath. This visual helps connect the character's form to its meaning of vastness and beauty.
Meanings of 鴻
hóng(hong2)
1a species of wild swan; vast
Exercise 1 of 2
By ear
Play it, then pick what 鴻 means.
About 鴻
鴻Simplified
17Strokes
鳥Radical
非语素字non-morpheme character (n-m.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank
Podcast: 鴻
Podcast: 鴻
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AI study notes for 鴻
Usage Notes
Be cautious with the tone; 鴻 is pronounced with a rising tone (hóng), which can be confused with other similar-sounding words. It is often used in literary or formal contexts, so it's less common in everyday conversation. Common collocations include 鴻鹄 (hónghú) meaning 'wild swan' and 鴻圖 (hóngtú) meaning 'grand plan or vision.'
HSK Study Tips
Although 鴻 is not an HSK vocabulary word, it can be connected to HSK Level 5 through its use in idiomatic expressions and literary texts. Students should focus on recognizing it in context, especially in written materials, as it reflects more advanced vocabulary usage.
Common Mistakes
Learners often confuse 鴻 with similar characters, such as 红 (hóng), which means 'red.' For example, saying '我喜欢鴻色' (Wǒ xǐhuān hóngsè - I like swan color) instead of '我喜欢红色' (Wǒ xǐhuān hóngsè - I like red) is a common error.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 鴻
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鴻 = 鳥 + 江. What kind of character does that make it?
Decomposition of 鴻
IDS Structure⿰江鳥
鴻Full character
=
江Jiang1
left
鳥niao3
right
Exercise 1 of 2
Parts
Which of these is part of 鴻?
How to say a species of wild swan; vast in Chinese
“a species of wild swan; vast” in Chinese is鴻hóng
The character 鴻 (hóng) primarily refers to a large species of wild swan, symbolizing grace and beauty in nature. It is also used metaphorically to describe something vast or grand, often in literary contexts, conveying a sense of magnificence or expansive quality.
When to use 鴻
Be cautious with the tone; 鴻 is pronounced with a rising tone (hóng), which can be confused with other similar-sounding words. It is often used in literary or formal contexts, so it's less common in everyday conversation. Common collocations include 鴻鹄 (hónghú) meaning 'wild swan' and 鴻圖 (hóngtú) meaning 'grand plan or vision.'
What learners get wrong
Learners often confuse 鴻 with similar characters, such as 红 (hóng), which means 'red.' For example, saying '我喜欢鴻色' (Wǒ xǐhuān hóngsè - I like swan color) instead of '我喜欢红色' (Wǒ xǐhuān hóngsè - I like red) is a common error.
Write 鴻
鴻
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Word Family of 鴻
Words containing this character20
鸿hónggreat鴻
鸿沟chasm鴻溝
鸿运good luck鴻運
鸿门宴Feast at Hongmen鴻門宴
黄飞鸿Wong Fei Hung (1847-1924), famous martial artist and revolutionary黃飛鴻
李鸿章Li Hung-chang or Li Hongzhang (1823-1901), Qing dynasty general, politician and diplomat李鴻章
徐悲鸿Xu Beihong (1895-1953), famous European trained painter and influential art teacher徐悲鴻
惊鸿lithe驚鴻
鸿雁(bird species of China) swan goose (Anser cygnoides)鴻雁
辜鸿铭Ku Hung-ming or Gu Hongming (1857-1928), Malaysian man of letters, highly regarded for his literary works written mostly in English, and known for his monarchist views辜鴻銘
鸿福good fortune鴻福
哀鸿遍野starving people fill the land哀鴻遍野
鸿图vast plan鴻圖
鸿鹄swan鴻鵠
轻于鸿毛unimportant輕於鴻毛
来鸿incoming letter (literary)來鴻
燕雀安知鸿鹄之志lit. can the sparrow and swallow know the will of the great swan? (idiom)燕雀安知鴻鵠之志
雪泥鸿爪a goose's footprint in the snow雪泥鴻爪
崔鸿Cui Hong, historian at the end of Wei of the Northern Dynasties 北魏崔鴻
泰山鸿毛as weighty as Mt Tai, as light as a feather (refers to death)泰山鴻毛
Exercise 1 of 4
Characters with 鴻
What does 鸿 mean?
Frequently asked questions about 鴻
It is not commonly used in daily conversation, as it has a more literary and poetic connotation.
Focus on the rising tone (hóng) by associating it with the image of a swan rising majestically into the air.
Yes, it can describe vastness or grandeur in various contexts, such as plans or ambitions.
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