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惚 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
惚hūconfused, absent-mindedx, 11 strokes, radical 忄
惚hūindistinctunknown, 11 strokes, radical 忄
hū(hu1)hu T1
  1. 1confused, absent-minded
  2. 2indistinct
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March 24, 2026

惚hū(hu1)

The character 惚 (hū) refers to a state of confusion or absent-mindedness, often implying a hazy or indistinct perception of reality. It can describe moments when one is not fully present or is lost in thought, leading to a lack of clarity in understanding or decision-making.

Strokes11Radical忄
Cultural note

In Chinese literature, characters often express deep emotions and states of mind, and 惚 captures a moment of introspection or confusion that can be linked to traditional themes in poetry about love and loss.

Memory tip

Imagine being in a dream where everything feels unclear and fuzzy, just like looking through a foggy window. The character 惚 has the radical 忄 (heart) suggesting emotional confusion, and the phonetic component 乎 (hū) sounds like 'who,' as in 'Who am I again?'

Meanings of 惚

hū(hu1)
1confused, absent-minded
2indistinct
Exercise 1 of 2

By ear

Play it, then pick what 惚 means.

About 惚

惚Simplified
11Strokes
忄Radical
非语素字non-morpheme character (n-m.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 惚

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Podcast: 惚

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AI study notes for 惚

Quick Contrast

惚 (hū) vs 迷 (mí) — use 惚 when emphasizing a state of absent-mindedness, while 迷 focuses more on being lost or confused in a specific situation.

Usage Notes

This character is more commonly used in literary or poetic contexts rather than in everyday conversation. Be cautious not to confuse it with similar-sounding words; ensure clarity in tone and context when using it to describe someone's state of mind.

HSK Study Tips

Although 惚 is not part of the HSK vocabulary list, it connects with other emotional descriptors at higher levels. Focus on understanding its usage in literature and poetry, as this can deepen your grasp of nuanced emotional states in Mandarin.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 惚 with other characters like 忽 (hū), which means 'suddenly' or 'neglect.' For example, saying '我忽了这个问题' (I neglected this issue) instead of using 惚 to express confusion would be incorrect.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 惚

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Etymology of 惚

Formation typeIdeographic 指事
六书 ClassificationIdeograph (指事字)~2% of characters
Memory hint

To neglect 忽 the mind 忄; 忽 also provides the pronunciation

Learn more about Ideograph (指事字) characters
Exercise 1 of 1

Origin

What kind of character is 惚?

Decomposition of 惚

IDS Structure⿰忄忽
惚Full character
=
忄xin1
left
忽Hu1
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Parts

Which of these is part of 惚?

How to say confused, absent-minded in Chinese

“confused, absent-minded” in Chinese is惚hū

The character 惚 (hū) refers to a state of confusion or absent-mindedness, often implying a hazy or indistinct perception of reality. It can describe moments when one is not fully present or is lost in thought, leading to a lack of clarity in understanding or decision-making.

When to use 惚

This character is more commonly used in literary or poetic contexts rather than in everyday conversation. Be cautious not to confuse it with similar-sounding words; ensure clarity in tone and context when using it to describe someone's state of mind.

惚 or something close to it

惚 (hū) vs 迷 (mí) — use 惚 when emphasizing a state of absent-mindedness, while 迷 focuses more on being lost or confused in a specific situation.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 惚 with other characters like 忽 (hū), which means 'suddenly' or 'neglect.' For example, saying '我忽了这个问题' (I neglected this issue) instead of using 惚 to express confusion would be incorrect.

Write 惚

惚

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

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Grammar patterns of 惚

惚 carries 2 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 4

Fill the gap

Type the missing word. Pinyin works; then pick the character.

那女孩躺在行军床上,因服用安定剂完全处于恍____的状态。

The girl lay on an army cot, all doped up with Valium.

Example sentences for 惚 (5)

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1
那女孩躺在行军床上,因服用安定剂完全处于恍惚的状态。

nà nǚ hái tǎng zài xíng jūn chuáng shàng, yīn fúyòng āndìng jì wánquán chǔyú huǎng hū de zhuàngtài。

The girl lay on an army cot, all doped up with Valium.
2
普丽姆罗丝累得精神都有些恍惚了,开始哭着说她饿了。

pǔ lí mǔ luō sī lèi de jīngshen dōu yǒuxiē huǎng hū le, kāishǐ kū zhe shuō tā è le。

Primrose, stupefied by tiredness, began to wail that she was hungry.
3
他仍是一脸恍惚。

tā réng shì yī liǎn huǎng hū。

The same abstracted look was still on his face.
4
她醒得很早, 但继续迷离恍惚了一会.

tā xǐng de hěn zǎo, dàn jìxù mí lí huǎng hū le yī huì.

She had woken early, but drifted a while longer.
5
他精神恍惚, 低声叨念着那件事.

tā jīngshen huǎng hū, dī shēng dāo niàn zhe nà jiàn shì.

He was delirious, murmuring about that matter.

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Word Family of 惚

Words containing this character5
恍惚absent-minded
精神恍惚absent-minded
惚hūindistinct
神思恍惚abstracted
心神恍惚perturbed (idiom)
Exercise 1 of 4

Words with 惚

What does 恍惚 mean?

Frequently asked questions about 惚

You might say '我对这件事感到惚惚的' (I feel confused about this matter).

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