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

(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.

Strokes12RadicalFrequency#—DifficultyVery Hard
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

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

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 媧

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

Podcast: 媧

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AI Study Notes for 媧

Memory Mnemonic

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.

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.

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.

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

Character Formation Type

What type of character formation is 媧?

Decomposition of 媧

IDS Structure⿰女咼
Full Character
=
nü3
left
guo1
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 媧?

Write 媧

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

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Cultural Notes for 媧

🏮Cultural insight

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.

Word Family of 媧

Words Containing This Character3
女娲Nüwa (creator of humans in Chinese mythology)女媧
surname Wa
女娲氏Nüwa (creator of humans in Chinese mythology)女媧氏
Exercise 1 of 3

Compound Meaning

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.