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媧 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
媧wāa goddess, the mythological sister and successor to Fuxix, 12 strokes, radical 女
wā(wa1)wa T1
  1. 1a goddess, the mythological sister and successor to Fuxi
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March 24, 2026

媧wā(wa1)

媧 (wā) refers to a goddess in Chinese mythology, specifically the sister and successor of Fuxi. She is often associated with the creation of humanity and is revered in various cultural narratives, symbolizing feminine strength and creativity.

Strokes12Radical女
Cultural note

媧 is celebrated during festivals honoring deities, such as the 'Qingming Festival,' where people pay respect to ancestors and deities. Her myth is integral to Chinese beliefs about creation and femininity.

Memory tip

Imagine a wise woman weaving a tapestry of life, which connects to the character 媧. The radical 女 (nǚ) signifies femininity, and the character's sound, wā, can be remembered as 'waah' in awe of her powerful role in creation.

Meanings of 媧

wā(wa1)
1a goddess, the mythological sister and successor to Fuxi
Exercise 1 of 2

By ear

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About 媧

媧Simplified
12Strokes
女Radical
非语素字non-morpheme character (n-m.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 媧

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Podcast: 媧

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AI Study Notes for 媧

Usage Notes

This character is typically used in literary or mythological contexts. Avoid using it in casual conversation as it may seem overly formal. Be careful with tone, as mispronouncing wā could change its meaning entirely.

HSK Study Tips

While 媧 is not included in the HSK levels, understanding this character can enhance your cultural knowledge, which is essential for advanced learners. Focus on its connections to other mythological characters and stories in Chinese folklore.

Common Mistakes

Learners may confuse 媧 with similar characters related to women, such as 妇 (fù, meaning 'wife') or 娇 (jiāo, meaning 'delicate'). Remember that 媧 specifically represents the goddess and is not used in a general sense.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 媧

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Etymology of 媧

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

woman

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

Origin

媧 = 女 + 咼. What kind of character does that make it?

Decomposition of 媧

IDS Structure⿰女咼
媧Full character
=
女nü3
left
咼guo1
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Parts

Which of these is part of 媧?

How to say a goddess, the mythological sister and successor to Fuxi in Chinese

“a goddess, the mythological sister and successor to Fuxi” in Chinese is媧wā

媧 (wā) refers to a goddess in Chinese mythology, specifically the sister and successor of Fuxi. She is often associated with the creation of humanity and is revered in various cultural narratives, symbolizing feminine strength and creativity.

When to use 媧

This character is typically used in literary or mythological contexts. Avoid using it in casual conversation as it may seem overly formal. Be careful with tone, as mispronouncing wā could change its meaning entirely.

What learners get wrong

Learners may confuse 媧 with similar characters related to women, such as 妇 (fù, meaning 'wife') or 娇 (jiāo, meaning 'delicate'). Remember that 媧 specifically represents the goddess and is not used in a general sense.

Write 媧

媧

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Word Family of 媧

Words containing this character3
女娲Nüwa (creator of humans in Chinese mythology)女媧
娲wāsurname Wa媧
女娲氏Nüwa (creator of humans in Chinese mythology)女媧氏
Exercise 1 of 2

Words with 媧

What does 女娲 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 媧

媧 symbolizes creation, femininity, and the nurturing aspects of life, often linked to the origins of humanity.

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