HSK 5, ns, 13 strokes, radical 礻, rank #3644, Medium
福
fú
surname Fu
HSK 5, ns, 13 strokes, radical 礻, rank #3644, Medium
福
fú
abbr. for Fujian province 福建省[Fú jiàn shěng]
HSK 5, ns, 13 strokes, radical 礻, rank #3644, Medium
福
fú
happiness
HSK 5, ns, 13 strokes, radical 礻, rank #3644, Medium
福
fú
luck
HSK 5, ns, 13 strokes, radical 礻, rank #3644, Medium
福
fú
happiness, good fortune, blessings
HSK 5, ns, 13 strokes, radical 礻, rank #3644, Medium
福
fú
abbr. for Fujian province 福建省[Fu2 jian4 sheng3]
HSK 5, unknown, 13 strokes, radical 礻, rank #3644, Medium
fú(fu2) T2
1good fortune
2abbr. for Fujian province 福建省[Fú jiàn shěng]
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March 24, 2026
福fú(fu2)
The character 福 (fú) primarily means 'good fortune' or 'happiness.' It is commonly used in contexts related to blessings, luck, and auspiciousness, often seen during celebrations such as the Lunar New Year. The character embodies a cultural significance where it is believed that displaying or sharing it can attract positive energy and good luck.
Strokes13Radical礻Frequency#3644DifficultyMedium
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, the character 福 is often displayed upside down during the New Year to signify the arrival of good fortune. This practice highlights the importance of luck and positivity in Chinese celebrations and daily life.
Memory Tip
Imagine a big, smiling face with the character 福 on its forehead, radiating happiness and good fortune. The '福' looks like a person with arms outstretched, welcoming luck and blessings into their life, emphasizing the joy and positivity associated with this character.
Meanings of 福
fú(fu2)
1good fortune
2abbr. for Fujian province 福建省[Fú jiàn shěng]
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About 福
福Simplified
13Strokes
礻Radical
地名míngcíplace name (p.n.)Part of Speech
#3644Frequency Rank
HSK 3.0L5ElementaryTOCFLL3YCTL4HSKKL2CEFRA2
Podcast: 福
Podcast: 福
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AI Study Notes for 福
Quick Contrast
祸 (huò) — use 福 (fú) for positive connotations of good fortune, while 祸 (huò) denotes misfortune or disaster.
Memory Mnemonic
Imagine a big, smiling face with the character 福 on its forehead, radiating happiness and good fortune. The '福' looks like a person with arms outstretched, welcoming luck and blessings into their life, emphasizing the joy and positivity associated with this character.
Usage Notes
福 is often used in both formal and informal contexts, especially during festive occasions. A common mistake is to confuse it with similar-sounding words with different meanings; thus, pay attention to pronunciation. This character frequently appears in phrases like '新年快乐' (xīn nián kuài lè - Happy New Year) where it symbolizes the wish for a prosperous year ahead.
HSK Study Tips
福 is not listed in the HSK levels but is crucial for cultural understanding in Mandarin. Learners should focus on recognizing it during festivals and in greetings, as it often appears in idiomatic expressions related to luck and happiness, connecting with other positive words like 喜 (xǐ - joy) and 幸 (xìng - fortune).
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, the character 福 is often displayed upside down during the New Year to signify the arrival of good fortune. This practice highlights the importance of luck and positivity in Chinese celebrations and daily life.
Common Mistakes
Learners often mistakenly pronounce 福 as 'fù' instead of the correct 'fú.' Additionally, some may use it inappropriately in contexts unrelated to luck or happiness, such as in serious discussions, where it may sound out of place.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 福
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Grammar Patterns of 福
福 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 7 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.
Hap-piness is the ability to make the most of what you have.
8
雷德福有时会任由自己热情澎湃。
léi dé fú yǒu shí huì rèn yóu zì jǐ rè qíng péng pài。
Radford some-times allows his enthusiasm to run away with him.
9
备好船后，他们就驶向了南边的卡洛福泰。
bèi hǎo chuán hòu， ， tā mén jiù shǐ xiàng le nán biān de kǎ luò fú。
After prepping the boat, they sailed it down to Carloforte.
10
那是肯特一家的生活中一段幸福的插曲。
nà shì kěn tè yī jiā de shēng huó zhōng yī duàn xìng fú de chā qū。
It was a happy interlude in the Kents' life.
Cultural Notes for 福
💡Did you know?
The character 福 (fú), meaning good fortune, is commonly displayed upside down during the Chinese New Year. This is because the Chinese word for 'upside down' (倒, dào) sounds like the word for 'arrive' (到, dào), symbolizing that good fortune is 'arriving'.
🏮Cultural insight
In Chinese culture, the character 福 is often displayed upside down during the New Year to signify the arrival of good fortune. This practice highlights the importance of luck and positivity in Chinese celebrations and daily life.
📜Proverb
A popular Chinese proverb related to 福 is '福无重至' (fú wú zhòng zhì), meaning that good fortune does not come in duplicates. It encourages people to appreciate each blessing they receive.
Yes, 福 is part of several idioms and phrases in Chinese. For instance, '福如东海，寿比南山' (fú rú dōng hǎi, shòu bǐ nán shān) translates to 'May your happiness be as vast as the East Sea and your life as long as the South Mountain.' This phrase expresses wishes for abundant fortune and longevity.
In Chinese culture, 福 is highly regarded and is often displayed during festivals to attract good luck. It is common to see the character 福 upside down, as 'upside down' (倒 dào) sounds like 'arrive' (到 dào), symbolizing that luck is arriving. Many people hang 福 characters on their doors for blessings.
福 can be used in various contexts to convey good fortune or blessings. For example, you can say '我希望你有福' (Wǒ xīwàng nǐ yǒu fú), which means 'I wish you good fortune.' It is commonly used in greetings and well-wishing expressions.
福 (fú) means 'luck' or 'good fortune' in Chinese. It is often associated with positive outcomes and is a common character used during celebrations, especially during the Lunar New Year. Additionally, 福 is also a surname and can refer to the Fujian province.
You can say '祝你福气满满' (zhù nǐ fú qì mǎn mǎn) which means 'Wishing you overflowing good fortune.'
While it is particularly popular during festivals like the Lunar New Year, 福 can also be used in everyday expressions to wish someone well.
