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炤 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
炤zhàoto illuminate, to light up; to reflectzg, 9 strokes, radical 火
炤zhàosurname Zhaounknown, 9 strokes, radical 火
zhào(Zhao4) T4
  1. 1to illuminate, to light up; to reflect
Also a Chinese surname, Zhao — see the Surname Dictionary
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

炤zhào(Zhao4)

The character 炤 (zhào) primarily means to illuminate or light up. It is often used in contexts related to lighting, reflecting light, or brightening a space. Additionally, it is a surname in Chinese culture, which further expands its usage.

Strokes9Radical火
Cultural Note

The surname Zhao (赵) is one of the most common surnames in China, with historical significance tracing back to the Zhao state during the Warring States period. Understanding this name can provide insight into numerous historical figures and contemporary individuals.

Memory Tip

Imagine a bright, glowing light bulb (representing 'illuminate') shining down on the letter 'Z' (for 'zhào') on a dark page, illuminating the words around it. The character 炤 has the radical 火 (fire), hinting at its meaning related to light.

Meanings of 炤

zhào(Zhao4)
1to illuminate, to light up; to reflect
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 炤

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

Podcast: 炤

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Podcast: 炤

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AI Study Notes for 炤

Usage Notes

When using 炤, be aware that it is not as commonly used in everyday conversation compared to other words for light, such as 光 (guāng). It is more formal and might appear in literary contexts. Be cautious of the tone, as mispronouncing it can lead to confusion with other words.

HSK Study Tips

While 炤 is not part of the official HSK vocabulary, recognizing it can enhance your understanding of characters related to light and illumination. Focus on its components, especially the fire radical, to connect it with other similar terms at your level.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 炤 with similar-sounding characters like 照 (zhào), which means 'to shine' or 'to reflect.' For example, saying '我想要炤这张照片' is incorrect; it should be '我想要照这张照片' (I want to take a picture).

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 炤

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Etymology of 炤

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

Phonosemantic compound. 火 represents the meaning and 召 represents the sound.

Memory Hint

fire

Semantic (meaning)火
+
Phonetic (sound)召
Learn more about Phono-semantic (形声字) characters

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 炤

Phonosemantic compound. 火 represents the meaning and 召 represents the sound.

  1. 1The meaning half火 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half召 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
  3. 3The giveawayfire
  4. 4On the record aspictophonetic.

Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.

Want the full history of 炤? 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 炤?

Decomposition of 炤

IDS Structure⿰火召
炤Full Character
=
火Huo3
left
召Shao4
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 炤?

How to say to illuminate, to light up; to reflect in Chinese

“to illuminate, to light up; to reflect” in Chinese is炤zhào

The character 炤 (zhào) primarily means to illuminate or light up. It is often used in contexts related to lighting, reflecting light, or brightening a space. Additionally, it is a surname in Chinese culture, which further expands its usage.

When to use 炤

When using 炤, be aware that it is not as commonly used in everyday conversation compared to other words for light, such as 光 (guāng). It is more formal and might appear in literary contexts. Be cautious of the tone, as mispronouncing it can lead to confusion with other words.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 炤 with similar-sounding characters like 照 (zhào), which means 'to shine' or 'to reflect.' For example, saying '我想要炤这张照片' is incorrect; it should be '我想要照这张照片' (I want to take a picture).

Write 炤

炤

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

Write correctly 3 times to earn XP

Word Family of 炤

Words Containing This Character1
炤zhàosurname Zhao
Exercise 1 of 1

Compound Meaning

What does 炤 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 炤

Common synonyms include 光 (guāng) for light and 照亮 (zhàoliàng) for illuminating.

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