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荷 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
Hanzi
Pinyin
English
Tags
荷
hé
lotus, water lily; burden, responsibility; Holland
ng, 10 strokes, radical 艹, rank #6879, Hard
荷
hé
to carry on one's shoulder or back
unknown, 10 strokes, radical 艹, rank #6879, Hard
荷
hé
the Netherlands
unknown, 10 strokes, radical 艹, rank #6879, Hard
荷
hé
abbr. for 荷蘭|荷兰[He2 lan2]
unknown, 10 strokes, radical 艹, rank #6879, Hard
荷
hè
lotus, water lily; burden, responsibility; Holland
ng, 10 strokes, radical 艹, rank #6879, Hard
荷
hè
to carry on one's shoulder or back
unknown, 10 strokes, radical 艹, rank #6879, Hard
荷
hè
the Netherlands
unknown, 10 strokes, radical 艹, rank #6879, Hard
荷
hè
abbr. for 荷蘭|荷兰[He2 lan2]
unknown, 10 strokes, radical 艹, rank #6879, Hard
hé(He2)he
primary
T2
1lotus, water lily; burden, responsibility; Holland
2to carry on one's shoulder or back
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March 24, 2026
荷hé(He2)
The character 荷 (hé) primarily refers to the lotus or water lily, which is a significant symbol in Chinese culture representing purity and beauty. It is also used to denote a burden or responsibility, often in the context of carrying something physically or metaphorically, such as duties or obligations.
Strokes10Radical艹Frequency#6879DifficultyHard
Cultural note
The lotus flower holds deep significance in Chinese culture, often associated with Buddhism and purity, making 荷 a culturally rich character. It is common to see it in art, poetry, and festivals, symbolizing the beauty that can arise from muddy waters.
Memory tip
Imagine a person named He (hé) carrying a beautiful lotus flower on their back. The flower represents purity, while the act of carrying symbolizes the burden of responsibilities that come with beauty and grace.
Meanings of 荷
hé(He2)
primary
1lotus, water lily; burden, responsibility; Holland
2to carry on one's shoulder or back
Exercise 1 of 2
By ear
Play it, then pick what 荷 means.
About 荷
荷Simplified
10Strokes
艹Radical
名语素míngcínoun root (n.root)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank
Podcast: 荷
Podcast: 荷
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AI Study Notes for 荷
Quick Contrast
荷 (hé) vs 担 (dān) — use 荷 when emphasizing the symbolic aspect of a burden, while 担 focuses more on the act of carrying.
Usage Notes
荷 is often used in both formal and informal contexts, especially in discussions around responsibilities and nature. A common mistake is to confuse its meaning with other characters for burden, such as 负 (fù), which has a more negative connotation. Remember to use 荷 when you want to emphasize the beauty or significance of the burden.
HSK Study Tips
Although 荷 is not part of the HSK vocabulary list, it connects to HSK level 3 and 4 words related to nature and responsibilities, like 责任 (zérèn, responsibility). Students should focus on recognizing it in context, especially in literary or poetic expressions.
Common Mistakes
Learners often confuse 荷 with other characters that describe burdens, such as 负 (fù). For example, saying '我负了许多责任' (wǒ fùle xǔduō zérèn) instead of '我承担了许多责任' (wǒ chéngdānle xǔduō zérèn) can lead to misunderstanding.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 荷
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How Well Do You Know 荷?
Example
Learning Lab
Knowing 荷 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.
荷 = 艹 + 何. What kind of character does that make it?
Decomposition of 荷
IDS Structure⿱艹何
荷Full character
=
艹cao3
top
何He2
bottom
Exercise 1 of 2
Parts
Which of these is part of 荷?
How to say lotus, water lily; burden, responsibility; Holland in Chinese
“lotus, water lily; burden, responsibility; Holland” in Chinese is荷hé
The character 荷 (hé) primarily refers to the lotus or water lily, which is a significant symbol in Chinese culture representing purity and beauty. It is also used to denote a burden or responsibility, often in the context of carrying something physically or metaphorically, such as duties or obligations.
When to use 荷
荷 is often used in both formal and informal contexts, especially in discussions around responsibilities and nature. A common mistake is to confuse its meaning with other characters for burden, such as 负 (fù), which has a more negative connotation. Remember to use 荷 when you want to emphasize the beauty or significance of the burden.
荷 or something close to it
荷 (hé) vs 担 (dān) — use 荷 when emphasizing the symbolic aspect of a burden, while 担 focuses more on the act of carrying.
What learners get wrong
Learners often confuse 荷 with other characters that describe burdens, such as 负 (fù). For example, saying '我负了许多责任' (wǒ fùle xǔduō zérèn) instead of '我承担了许多责任' (wǒ chéngdānle xǔduō zérèn) can lead to misunderstanding.
Write 荷
荷
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Practice writing 荷 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
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Grammar Patterns of 荷
荷 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 4 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
Fill the gap
Type the missing word. Pinyin works; then pick the character.
他对于法国、德国和____兰的文学了如指掌。
He was well acquainted with the literature of France, Germany and Holland.
Example Sentences for 荷 (10)
Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
他对于法国、德国和荷兰的文学了如指掌。
tā duì yú fǎ guó、 、 dé guó hé hé lán de wén xué le rú zhǐ。
He was well acquainted with the literature of France, Germany and Holland.
2
她是伦敦著名的“薄荷犀牛”夜总会的钢管舞舞者。
tā shì lún dūn zhù míng de“ “ báo hé xī” niú ” yè zǒng huì de gāng guǎn wǔ。
She is a pole dancer at London's famous Spearmint Rhino club.
