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恢 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
huīto restorezg, 9 strokes, radical 忄, rank #65429, Very Hard
huīto recoverzg, 9 strokes, radical 忄, rank #65429, Very Hard
huīgreatzg, 9 strokes, radical 忄, rank #65429, Very Hard
huīto restore, to recover; great, immense, vastzg, 9 strokes, radical 忄, rank #65429, Very Hard
huī(hui1) T1
  1. 1to restore
  2. 2to recover
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

huī(hui1)

The character 恢 (huī) primarily means 'to restore' or 'to recover.' It is often used in contexts relating to the return to a previous state, such as recovering health or restoring a system. This character can also imply greatness, as in vastness or immensity.

Strokes9RadicalFrequency#65429DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note

In traditional Chinese medicine, the concept of recovery is crucial, and terms like 恢 are often used when discussing the restoration of health. This reflects the cultural emphasis on balance and recovery in health practices.

Memory Tip

Imagine a vast wave (恢) crashing down and then receding, symbolizing the process of restoring or recovering something to its original state. The character combines the radical for 'heart' (心) which is suggestive of deep feelings involved in the act of recovery, and the element that resembles 'returning' to a previous state.

Meanings of 恢

huī(hui1)
1to restore
2to recover
Exercise 1 of 3

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 恢

Simplified
9Strokes
Radical
状态词stative word (stat.)Part of Speech
#65429Frequency Rank

Podcast: 恢

JasonAmy

Podcast:

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AI Study Notes for 恢

Quick Contrast

恢复 (huīfù) vs 复原 (fùyuán) — use 恢 (huī) when emphasizing the act of restoration, while 恢复 (huīfù) typically refers to the process of recovery, and 复原 (fùyuán) often implies returning to an original state or form.

Memory Mnemonic

Imagine a vast wave (恢) crashing down and then receding, symbolizing the process of restoring or recovering something to its original state. The character combines the radical for 'heart' (心) which is suggestive of deep feelings involved in the act of recovery, and the element that resembles 'returning' to a previous state.

Usage Notes

Learners often confuse 恢 with similar characters like 回 (huí), which means 'to return' but does not carry the connotation of recovery or restoration. It is used in both formal and informal contexts, with common collocations like 恢复 (huīfù, to restore) and 恢弘 (huīhóng, to expand greatly). Pay attention to the fourth tone in pronunciation, as mispronouncing can change its meaning.

HSK Study Tips

While 恢 is not included in the HSK levels, it can be linked to words such as 恢复 (huīfù) which is relevant for students at HSK 4. Focus on the usage of 恢 in compound words to understand its broader meanings in different contexts.

Cultural Note

In traditional Chinese medicine, the concept of recovery is crucial, and terms like 恢 are often used when discussing the restoration of health. This reflects the cultural emphasis on balance and recovery in health practices.

Common Mistakes

Learners may mistakenly use 恢 in place of 回 when they mean 'to return,' leading to incorrect phrases like 恢家 (incorrect) instead of 回家 (huíjiā, to return home). Additionally, some may mispronounce it as huí instead of huī, which alters its meaning.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 恢

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Etymology of 恢

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

Phonosemantic compound. 忄 represents the meaning and 灰 represents the sound.

Memory Hint

heart

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 恢?

Decomposition of 恢

IDS Structure⿰忄灰
Full Character
=
xin1
left
hui1
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 恢?

Write 恢

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

Write correctly 3 times to earn XP

Grammar Patterns of 恢

恢 carries 4 distinct meanings. Below you'll find the patterns that show how it combines with other words, plus example sentences pulled directly from native usage.

Exercise 1 of 5

Complete the Sentence

他从未从你哥哥去世的打击中____复过来。

He has never recovered from the shock of your brother's death.

Common Confusions with 恢

vs
huì

Similar pronunciation but different meanings.

vs
huī

Similar pronunciation; '挥' relates to movement.

Exercise 1 of 1

Spot the Difference

Which character means "to restore"?

or

Usage Notes for 恢

Misuse in Formal ContextsCommon Error

The character '恢' is often misused in casual contexts where simpler terms would suffice. It should be used in more formal writing or speech.

1

在正式文件中使用‘恢复’而不是‘恢’。

Use '恢复' instead of '恢' in formal documents.

Exercise 1 of 1

Fill in the Blank

在正式文件中使用‘____复’而不是‘恢’。

Use '恢复' instead of '恢' in formal documents.

Example Sentences for 恢 (10)

Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
他从未从你哥哥去世的打击中恢复过来。

tā cóng wèi cóng nǐ gē gē qù shì de dǎ jī zhōng huī fù guò lái。

He has never recovered from the shock of your brother's death.
2
同越南恢复友好关系的迹象越来越明显了。

tóng yuè nán huī fù yǒu hǎo guān xì de jì xiàng yuè lái yuè míng xiǎn le。

There have been growing signs of a ra-pprochement with Vietnam.
3
木头最近经过抛光又恢复了光泽。

mù tóu zuì jìn jīng guò pāo guāng yòu huī fù le guāng zé。

The wood had been recently polished to bring back the shine.
4
马克过了一会儿才恢复镇静。

mǎ kè guò le yī huì ér cái huī fù zhèn jìng。

It took a moment for Mark to recover his poise.
5
这位斗士相信自己仍然可以恢复从前的一些魔力。

zhè wèi dǒu shì xiāng xìn zì jǐ réng rán kě yǐ huī fù cóng qián de yī xiē mó lì。

The fighter believes he can still regain some of his old magic.
6
这是一部气势恢宏、引人入胜的电影,充满了动人心魄的瑰丽意象。

zhè shì yī bù qì shì huī hóng、 、 yǐn rén rù shèng de diàn, yǐng , chōng mǎn le dòng rén xīn pò de guī lì。

This is an ambitious and intriguing movie, full of striking imagery.
7
“这么说,他的记忆一定是完全恢复了?”——“差不多。”

“ “ zhè mó, shuō , tā de jì yì yī dìng shì wán quán huī?”——“ fù le ?”——“。”

"His memory must be completely back, then?" — "Just about."
8
他的胫骨伤恢复得相当不错。

tā de jìng gǔ shāng huī fù dé xiāng dāng bù cuò。

He made a remarkable recovery from a shin injury.
9
在那段时期不断有人试图恢复死刑。

zài nà duàn shí qī bù duàn yǒu rén shì tú huī fù sǐ xíng。

During that time there have been repeated attempts to reintroduce capital punishment.
10
国会在结束夏季休会后今天开始恢复工作。

guó huì zài jié shù xià jì xiū huì hòu jīn tiān kāi shǐ huī fù gōng zuò。

Parliament returns to work today after its summer recess.

Cultural Notes for 恢

🏮Cultural insight

In traditional Chinese medicine, the concept of recovery is crucial, and terms like 恢 are often used when discussing the restoration of health. This reflects the cultural emphasis on balance and recovery in health practices.

Word Family of 恢

Words Containing This Character7
恢复huīfùto reinstate恢復
huīgreat
恢复期convalescence恢復期
恢宏vast
恢弘vast
天网恢恢you can't run from the long arm of the law天網恢恢
恢恢vast
Exercise 1 of 4

Compound Meaning

What does 恢复 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 恢

Common phrases include 恢复健康 (huīfù jiànkāng, to restore health) and 恢弘事业 (huīhóng shìyè, to expand a career greatly).