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March 24, 2026
翁wēng(Weng1)
翁 (wēng) refers to an old man or a father figure, often used in a respectful context. It can also denote a father-in-law and is used as a surname in China. The character conveys wisdom and age, often associated with traditional roles in family hierarchies.
Strokes10Radical羽Frequency#14192DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural note
In Chinese culture, the concept of respecting elders is deeply ingrained, and terms like 翁 reflect this reverence. In many families, the father-in-law holds a significant position, often influencing family decisions.
Memory tip
Imagine an elderly man (翁) sitting on a bench, wearing a long robe that flows like neck feathers. The shape of the character can remind you of him with a wise, feathered hat symbolizing his wisdom and experience.
Meanings of 翁
wēng(Weng1)
1old man; father, father-in-law
2neck feathers of a bird (old)
Exercise 1 of 2
By ear
Play it, then pick what 翁 means.
About 翁
翁Simplified
10Strokes
羽Radical
人名míngcíproper noun (pr.n.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank
HSK 3.0L7AdvancedCEFRC2
Podcast: 翁
Podcast: 翁
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AI Study Notes for 翁
Usage Notes
翁 is often used in formal contexts, especially when referring to elders or in respectful address. Common collocations include '翁婿' (father-in-law and son-in-law) and '翁妪' (old man and old woman). Be cautious with tones; mispronouncing 'wēng' as 'wěng' will change its meaning.
HSK Study Tips
Although 翁 is not included in the HSK, it connects with other familial terms at similar levels, such as '父亲' (father) and '爷爷' (grandfather). Focus on understanding familial hierarchies and respectful terms for elders when studying this character.
Common Mistakes
Learners often confuse 翁 with similar characters like 夫 (fū), which means 'husband.' A common mistake is saying '翁' when referring to a younger man; correction: use '男' (nán) for 'man' instead.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 翁
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How Well Do You Know 翁?
Example
Learning Lab
Knowing 翁 is seven skills, not one.
Its meaning, its character, its pinyin, its tone — hearing it, saying it, writing it. The Learning Lab measures each one from your own practice, on every word you study, so you see what you actually know rather than how much you have done.
翁 = 羽 + 公. What kind of character does that make it?
Decomposition of 翁
IDS Structure⿱公羽
翁Full character
=
公gong1
top
羽yu3
bottom
Exercise 1 of 2
Parts
Which of these is part of 翁?
How to say surname Weng in Chinese
“surname Weng” in Chinese is翁wēng
翁 (wēng) refers to an old man or a father figure, often used in a respectful context. It can also denote a father-in-law and is used as a surname in China. The character conveys wisdom and age, often associated with traditional roles in family hierarchies.
When to use 翁
翁 is often used in formal contexts, especially when referring to elders or in respectful address. Common collocations include '翁婿' (father-in-law and son-in-law) and '翁妪' (old man and old woman). Be cautious with tones; mispronouncing 'wēng' as 'wěng' will change its meaning.
What learners get wrong
Learners often confuse 翁 with similar characters like 夫 (fū), which means 'husband.' A common mistake is saying '翁' when referring to a younger man; correction: use '男' (nán) for 'man' instead.
Write 翁
翁
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Practice writing 翁 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
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Grammar Patterns of 翁
翁 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 3 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 5
Fill the gap
Type the missing word. Pinyin works; then pick the character.
我问麦基____重聚是不是为了寻求解脱。
I asked McKeown if the reunion was meant to achieve closure.
Example Sentences for 翁 (10)
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1
我问麦基翁重聚是不是为了寻求解脱。
wǒ wèn mài jī wēng zhòng jù shì bù shì wéi le xún qiú jiě tuō。
I asked McKeown if the reunion was meant to achieve closure.
2
卡翁达总统兑现了他的承诺，宣布了全民公决的日期。
kǎ wēng dá zǒng tǒng duì xiàn le tā de chéng nuò， ， xuān bù le quán mín gōng jué de rì。
President Kaunda fulfilled his promise of announcing a date for the referendum.
