HSK 5, nr, 15 strokes, radical 心, rank #21076, Hard
慧
huì
bright, intelligent; intelligence
HSK 5, nr, 15 strokes, radical 心, rank #21076, Hard
huì(hui4) T4
1intelligent
2bright, intelligent; intelligence
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026
慧huì(hui4)
The character 慧 (huì) refers to intelligence, brightness, or wisdom. It is often used in contexts related to mental acuity or insightful understanding, and is frequently associated with qualities like cleverness or discernment in both personal and academic settings.
Strokes15Radical心Frequency#21076DifficultyHard
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, intelligence is highly valued, often associated with academic success and moral wisdom. The term 慧 is frequently used in names, suggesting that the bearer is wise or intelligent.
Memory Tip
Imagine a wise owl (慧) perched on a tree, symbolizing intelligence. The radical 心 (heart) suggests that true wisdom comes from the heart and mind working together. Remember 'huì' sounds like 'way'—the wise know the best way to think.
Meanings of 慧
huì(hui4)
1intelligent
2bright, intelligent; intelligence
Exercise 1 of 2
Listen & Choose the Meaning
Choose the correct answer:
About 慧
慧Simplified
15Strokes
心Radical
人名míngcíproper noun (pr.n.)Part of Speech
#21076Frequency Rank
HSK 3.0L5
Podcast: 慧
Podcast: 慧
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AI Study Notes for 慧
Quick Contrast
聪 (cōng) vs 慧 (huì): use 聪 for a focus on sharpness or cleverness in practical intelligence, while 慧 emphasizes deeper wisdom or insight.
Usage Notes
Be careful not to confuse 慧 with other characters like 会 (huì), which means 'to meet' or 'can.' The tone is important; use the fourth tone (huì) to denote intelligence, avoiding the first tone (hūi) which does not exist. Common collocations include 慧根 (huìgēn, intelligence root) and 慧眼 (huìyǎn, discerning eyes).
HSK Study Tips
Though 慧 is not listed in the HSK levels, it has connections to other HSK words related to knowledge and learning, such as 知识 (zhīshì, knowledge) and 聪明 (cōngmíng, clever). Focus on using it in sentences that compliment or describe someone's wisdom.
Common Mistakes
Learners often confuse 慧 with 会 (huì), leading to incorrect usage. For example, saying '他会人' (tā huì rén) instead of '他很慧' (tā hěn huì) when meaning 'He is very intelligent.'
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 慧
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Phonosemantic compound. 心 represents the meaning and 彗 represents the sound.
1The meaning half心 carries the sense.
2The sound half彗 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
3The giveawaymind
4On the record aspictophonetic.
Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.
Want the full history of 慧? Jason searches the paleographic record, weighs the competing accounts and judges the popular story.
Charged once for this character — everyone reads it afterwards.
Exercise 1 of 1
Character Formation Type
What type of character formation is 慧?
Decomposition of 慧
IDS Structure⿱彗心
慧Full Character
=
彗hui4
top
心xin1
bottom
Exercise 1 of 2
Identify the Components
Which of these is a component of 慧?
How to say intelligent in Chinese
“intelligent” in Chinese is慧huì
The character 慧 (huì) refers to intelligence, brightness, or wisdom. It is often used in contexts related to mental acuity or insightful understanding, and is frequently associated with qualities like cleverness or discernment in both personal and academic settings.
When to use 慧
Be careful not to confuse 慧 with other characters like 会 (huì), which means 'to meet' or 'can.' The tone is important; use the fourth tone (huì) to denote intelligence, avoiding the first tone (hūi) which does not exist. Common collocations include 慧根 (huìgēn, intelligence root) and 慧眼 (huìyǎn, discerning eyes).
慧 or something close to it
聪 (cōng) vs 慧 (huì): use 聪 for a focus on sharpness or cleverness in practical intelligence, while 慧 emphasizes deeper wisdom or insight.
What learners get wrong
Learners often confuse 慧 with 会 (huì), leading to incorrect usage. For example, saying '他会人' (tā huì rén) instead of '他很慧' (tā hěn huì) when meaning 'He is very intelligent.'
Write 慧
慧
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Practice writing 慧 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
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Grammar Patterns of 慧
慧 functions as a noun — it names a person, place, thing, or concept. Place it as a subject before the verb (主+谓) or as an object after the verb (谓+宾). Most Chinese nouns require a measure word between the number and the noun (e.g. 一个/三本). It carries 2 related meanings, each with its own usage notes below. The example sentences below show it in action, with practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) on every line.
Exercise 1 of 4
Complete the Sentence
桑塔格一直是那种兼具美貌与智____的人中龙凤。
Sontag has always been that rarity, a glamorous intellectual.
Common Confusions with 慧
慧vs会
huì
Same pronunciation, but different meanings.
Exercise 1 of 1
Spot the Difference
Which character means "intelligent"?
or
Example Sentences for 慧 (11)
Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
桑塔格一直是那种兼具美貌与智慧的人中龙凤。
sāng tǎ gé yī zhí shì nà zhǒng jiān jù měi mào yǔ zhì huì de rén zhōng lóng fèng。
Sontag has always been that rarity, a glamorous intellectual.
2
她会非常聪慧地领悟我所说的话。
tā huì fēi cháng cōng huì dì lǐng wù wǒ suǒ shuō de huà。
