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皓 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
皓hàobright, luminous; clear; hoarynz, 12 strokes, radical 白, rank #37802, Very Hard
皓hàowhite (esp. bright white teeth of youth or white hair of old age)unknown, 12 strokes, radical 白, rank #37802, Very Hard
hào(hao4)hao T4
  1. 1bright, luminous; clear; hoary
  2. 2white (esp. bright white teeth of youth or white hair of old age)
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March 24, 2026

皓(暠)hào(hao4)

The character 皓 (hào) refers to something that is bright or luminous, often associated with clarity and whiteness. It can describe bright white teeth or the white hair of old age, emphasizing the contrast between youth and age. This word is used in both poetic and everyday contexts to convey purity and brightness.

Strokes12Radical白Frequency#37802DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural note

In Chinese culture, the bright moon is a symbol of reunion and longing, often celebrated during festivals like the Mid-Autumn Festival. The character 皓 is commonly found in poetry that reflects on nature and beauty, connecting deeply with traditional themes.

Memory tip

Imagine a bright, shining moon (which is often described as 皓月, hào yuè) illuminating the night sky. The character 皓 consists of the radical for 'jade' (王) at the bottom, suggesting something precious and clear, while the top part can be visualized as rays of light radiating from the moon.

Meanings of 皓

hào(hao4)
1bright, luminous; clear; hoary
2white (esp. bright white teeth of youth or white hair of old age)
Exercise 1 of 2

By ear

Play it, then pick what 皓 means.

About 皓

皓Simplified
暠Traditional
12Strokes
白Radical
其它专名míngcíproper noun (pr.n.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 皓

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Podcast: 皓

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AI study notes for 皓

Quick Contrast

皓 (hào) vs 明 (míng) — use 皓 for brightness associated with whiteness or purity, while 明 is used for general brightness or clarity.

Usage Notes

Learners often confuse 皓 with similar-sounding words or characters that have different meanings, so pay attention to context. It is used in both formal and informal settings, but is more common in literary contexts. Common collocations include 皓月 (hào yuè, bright moon) and 皓齿 (hào chǐ, bright teeth).

HSK Study Tips

While 皓 is not included in the HSK vocabulary lists, it can be beneficial for learners at HSK 4 and above to recognize it due to its literary usage. Focus on its usage in idiomatic expressions and poetry to enhance your understanding of its nuanced meanings.

Common Mistakes

Learners often mistakenly use 皓 to describe colors other than white or bright, such as using it for black or blue. For example, saying 皓的天空 (hào de tiānkōng) for 'bright sky' is incorrect; instead, use 明亮的天空 (míngliàng de tiānkōng).

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 皓

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Etymology of 皓

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

Phonosemantic compound. 白 represents the meaning and 告 represents the sound. Simplified form of 暠.

Memory hint

white

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

Origin

皓 = 白 + 告. What kind of character does that make it?

Decomposition of 皓

IDS Structure⿰白告
皓Full character
=
白Bai2
left
告gao4
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Parts

Which of these is part of 皓?

How to say bright, luminous; clear; hoary in Chinese

“bright, luminous; clear; hoary” in Chinese is皓hào

The character 皓 (hào) refers to something that is bright or luminous, often associated with clarity and whiteness. It can describe bright white teeth or the white hair of old age, emphasizing the contrast between youth and age. This word is used in both poetic and everyday contexts to convey purity and brightness.

When to use 皓

Learners often confuse 皓 with similar-sounding words or characters that have different meanings, so pay attention to context. It is used in both formal and informal settings, but is more common in literary contexts. Common collocations include 皓月 (hào yuè, bright moon) and 皓齿 (hào chǐ, bright teeth).

皓 or something close to it

皓 (hào) vs 明 (míng) — use 皓 for brightness associated with whiteness or purity, while 明 is used for general brightness or clarity.

What learners get wrong

Learners often mistakenly use 皓 to describe colors other than white or bright, such as using it for black or blue. For example, saying 皓的天空 (hào de tiānkōng) for 'bright sky' is incorrect; instead, use 明亮的天空 (míngliàng de tiānkōng).

Write 皓

皓

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

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Grammar patterns of 皓

皓 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 1

Fill the gap

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

呵,啮齿类的女性, 你的____齿多爱糖呵.

O nibbling sex, your pretty little white teeth adore sugar.

Example sentences for 皓 (1)

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1
呵,啮齿类的女性, 你的皓齿多爱糖呵.

ā, niè chǐ lèi de nǚxìng, nǐ de hào chǐ duō ài táng ā.

O nibbling sex, your pretty little white teeth adore sugar.

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Word Family of 皓

Words containing this character8
皓hàobright
明眸皓齿to have bright eyes and white teeth明眸皓齒
皓首white head of hair
皓齿white teeth (symbol of youth and beauty)皓齒
皓白snow-white
皓齿明眸white teeth and bright eyes (idiom); lovely young woman皓齒明眸
皓首苍颜white hair and gray sunken cheeks (idiom); decrepit old age皓首蒼顏
皓齿朱唇white teeth and vermilion lips (idiom); lovely young woman皓齒硃唇
Exercise 1 of 4

Words with 皓

What does 明眸皓齿 mean?

Frequently asked questions about 皓

It is pronounced as hào, with the fourth tone.

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