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March 24, 2026
闔hé(he2)
The character 闔 (hé) primarily means 'to close' or 'to shut.' It can also convey the sense of wholeness or entirety, indicating all parts coming together. In contexts like closing a door or a container, it emphasizes completeness in the action.
Strokes18Radical門Frequency#—DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note
In traditional Chinese homes, closing the door or gate is often associated with keeping negative energy out and preserving harmony within. Hence, the concept of 'closing' carries significant cultural weight.
Memory Tip
Imagine a large gate (the radical 闩) that you must close to keep everything inside safe. Visualize the gate shutting completely, enclosing all within (the meaning of 'whole'). The pronunciation 'hé' sounds like 'her,' which you might imagine asking her to close the gate behind her.
Meanings of 闔
hé(he2)
1to close; whole, entire, all
Exercise 1 of 2
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About 闔
闔Simplified
18Strokes
門Radical
非语素字non-morpheme character (n-m.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank
Podcast: 闔
Podcast: 闔
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AI Study Notes for 闔
Memory Mnemonic
Imagine a large gate (the radical 闩) that you must close to keep everything inside safe. Visualize the gate shutting completely, enclosing all within (the meaning of 'whole'). The pronunciation 'hé' sounds like 'her,' which you might imagine asking her to close the gate behind her.
Usage Notes
Be cautious not to confuse 闔 with similar characters like 合 (hé), which means 'to combine' or 'to fit together.' 闔 is typically used in more formal or literary contexts. Common collocations include 闔上 (hé shàng) meaning 'to close' and 闔家 (hé jiā) meaning 'the whole family.'
HSK Study Tips
Although 闔 is not included in the HSK levels, it connects with other HSK vocabulary related to actions of closing or completeness, such as 关 (guān - to close) and 完整 (wán zhěng - complete). Focus on context and usage to master its nuances.
Cultural Note
In traditional Chinese homes, closing the door or gate is often associated with keeping negative energy out and preserving harmony within. Hence, the concept of 'closing' carries significant cultural weight.
Common Mistakes
Learners often confuse 闔 with 合 (hé) due to similar pronunciation and appearance. For example, saying 闔 together can be incorrect; instead, use 合 together (合在一起 hé zài yīqǐ) to mean 'together.'
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 闔
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Cultural Notes for 闔
🏮Cultural insight
In traditional Chinese homes, closing the door or gate is often associated with keeping negative energy out and preserving harmony within. Hence, the concept of 'closing' carries significant cultural weight.
Word Family of 闔
Words Containing This Character3
阖hédoor闔
阖家whole family闔家
阖第光临the whole family is invited (idiom)闔第光臨
Exercise 1 of 3
Compound Meaning
What does 阖 mean?
Frequently Asked Questions about 闔
In everyday conversation, 闔 is less common but can be used to refer to closing doors or containers, emphasizing completeness.
You can say 闔上门 (hé shàngmén) to mean 'close the door.'
Yes, 闔 is often found in formal or literary contexts rather than in casual speech.
