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賀 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
賀hèto congratulate; to send a presentx, 12 strokes, radical 貝
hè(he4)he T4
  1. 1to congratulate; to send a present
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March 24, 2026

賀hè(he4)

The character 賀 (hè) means to congratulate someone or to extend good wishes, often in the context of celebrations such as weddings or birthdays. It can also imply sending gifts as a form of congratulation, making it relevant in both personal and formal contexts.

Strokes12Radical貝
Cultural note

In Chinese culture, giving gifts and conveying congratulations is an important custom during major life events like weddings and graduations, where the character 賀 is frequently used in greetings and decorations.

Memory tip

Imagine a celebratory scene where people are handing over gifts and shouting 'Hè!' in joy. The character 賀 has a radical that resembles a present being offered, which helps you remember its meaning of congratulating and gifting.

Meanings of 賀

hè(he4)
1to congratulate; to send a present
Exercise 1 of 2

By ear

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About 賀

賀Simplified
12Strokes
貝Radical
非语素字non-morpheme character (n-m.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 賀

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Podcast: 賀

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AI study notes for 賀

Quick Contrast

贺 (hè) vs 祝 (zhù) — use 賀 (hè) for formal congratulations, while 祝 (zhù) is more general and can express wishes beyond celebrations.

Usage Notes

This character is often used in formal situations, such as during holidays or significant life events. Be cautious of its tone; it is pronounced with a fourth tone, which can change the meaning if mispronounced. Common collocations include 賀卡 (greeting card) and 賀年 (New Year's greetings).

HSK Study Tips

Even though 賀 is not part of the official HSK vocabulary list, it connects with HSK Level 3 terms related to celebrations and greetings. Students should focus on recognizing it in contexts such as congratulatory phrases and practice using it in sentences when discussing festivities.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 賀 with 祝, thinking they are interchangeable. For example, saying '我祝你生日快乐' (I祝 you a happy birthday) is correct, but using 賀 here can sound overly formal or awkward. Remember to use 賀 in contexts where gifts or formal congratulations are involved.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 賀

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Etymology of 賀

Formation typeIdeographic 指事
六书 ClassificationIdeograph (指事字)~2% of characters
Explanation

Simplified form of 賀. Phonosemantic compound. 貝 represents the meaning and 加 represents the sound.

Memory hint

To add 加 to someone else's fortune 貝

Learn more about Ideograph (指事字) characters
Exercise 1 of 1

Origin

What kind of character is 賀?

Decomposition of 賀

IDS Structure⿱加貝
賀Full character
=
加Jia1
top
貝bei4
bottom
Exercise 1 of 2

Parts

Which of these is part of 賀?

How to say to congratulate; to send a present in Chinese

“to congratulate; to send a present” in Chinese is賀hè

The character 賀 (hè) means to congratulate someone or to extend good wishes, often in the context of celebrations such as weddings or birthdays. It can also imply sending gifts as a form of congratulation, making it relevant in both personal and formal contexts.

When to use 賀

This character is often used in formal situations, such as during holidays or significant life events. Be cautious of its tone; it is pronounced with a fourth tone, which can change the meaning if mispronounced. Common collocations include 賀卡 (greeting card) and 賀年 (New Year's greetings).

賀 or something close to it

贺 (hè) vs 祝 (zhù) — use 賀 (hè) for formal congratulations, while 祝 (zhù) is more general and can express wishes beyond celebrations.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 賀 with 祝, thinking they are interchangeable. For example, saying '我祝你生日快乐' (I祝 you a happy birthday) is correct, but using 賀 here can sound overly formal or awkward. Remember to use 賀 in contexts where gifts or formal congratulations are involved.

Write 賀

賀

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

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Word Family of 賀

Words containing this character20
祝贺zhùhèto congratulate祝賀
贺hèto congratulate賀
贺卡hèkǎgreeting card賀卡
贺岁to pay a New Year's visit賀歲
庆贺qìnghèto congratulate慶賀
贺电hèdiàncongratulatory telegram賀電
贺龙He Long (1896-1969), important communist military leader, died from persecution during the Cultural Revolution賀龍
贺礼congratulatory gift賀禮
恭贺to express good wishes恭賀
贺词message of congratulation賀詞
道贺to congratulate道賀
可喜可贺gratifying可喜可賀
贺兰山Helan Mountains, lying across part of the border between Ningxia and Inner Mongolia賀蘭山
贺年to pay a New Year's visit賀年
贺喜to congratulate賀喜
贺兰Helan county in Yinchuan 銀川|银川[Yín​chuān], Ningxia賀蘭
贺州Hezhou prefecture-level city in Guangxi賀州
贺年卡New Year greeting card賀年卡
贺子珍He Zizhen (1910-1984), Mao Zedong's third wife賀子珍
李贺Li He (790-816), Tang poet and author of 南园十三首李賀
Exercise 1 of 4

Words with 賀

What does 祝贺 mean?

Frequently asked questions about 賀

Use 賀 specifically for formal occasions or when sending gifts, while 祝贺 (zhùhè) is more commonly used in everyday conversations.

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