Mandarin TempleCome for Knowledge. Stay for Wisdom.
Stroke order, etymology and audio for every word.Start learning
发 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
发fāto send outHSK 3, v, 5 strokes, radical 又, rank #531, Medium
发fāto show (one's feeling)HSK 3, v, 5 strokes, radical 又, rank #531, Medium
发fāto issueHSK 3, v, 5 strokes, radical 又, rank #531, Medium
发fāto developHSK 3, v, 5 strokes, radical 又, rank #531, Medium
发fāclassifier for gunshots (rounds)HSK 3, v, 5 strokes, radical 又, rank #531, Medium
发fāhairHSK 3, v, 5 strokes, radical 又, rank #531, Medium
发fāTaiwan pr. [fǎ]HSK 3, v, 5 strokes, radical 又, rank #531, Medium
发fāto issue, to dispatch, to send out; hairHSK 3, v, 5 strokes, radical 又, rank #531, Medium
发fāTaiwan pr. [fa3]HSK 3, unknown, 5 strokes, radical 又, rank #531, Medium
发fāto make a bundle of moneyHSK 3, unknown, 5 strokes, radical 又, rank #531, Medium
发fàto send outHSK 3, v, 5 strokes, radical 又, rank #531, Medium
发fàto show (one's feeling)HSK 3, v, 5 strokes, radical 又, rank #531, Medium
发fàto issueHSK 3, v, 5 strokes, radical 又, rank #531, Medium
发fàto developHSK 3, v, 5 strokes, radical 又, rank #531, Medium
发fàclassifier for gunshots (rounds)HSK 3, v, 5 strokes, radical 又, rank #531, Medium
发fàhairHSK 3, v, 5 strokes, radical 又, rank #531, Medium
发fàTaiwan pr. [fǎ]HSK 3, v, 5 strokes, radical 又, rank #531, Medium
发fàto issue, to dispatch, to send out; hairHSK 3, v, 5 strokes, radical 又, rank #531, Medium
发fàTaiwan pr. [fa3]HSK 3, unknown, 5 strokes, radical 又, rank #531, Medium
发fàto make a bundle of moneyHSK 3, unknown, 5 strokes, radical 又, rank #531, Medium
fā(fa1)fa
primary
 T1
  1. 1to send out
  2. 2to show (one's feeling)
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

发(發)fā(fa1)

The character 发 (fā) primarily means 'to send out' or 'to issue.' It is commonly used in contexts like sending out messages, expressing feelings, or developing something. Additionally, it can refer to hair and is often associated with financial success when used in certain phrases.

Strokes5Radical又Frequency#531DifficultyMedium
Cultural note

In Chinese culture, 发 is often associated with prosperity, especially during the Lunar New Year, where phrases like 发大财 (fā dà cái - make a big fortune) are commonly used as blessings.

Memory tip

Imagine a postman (发) sending letters (发) out to various places. The character's left side resembles a hand sending something away, while the right side can remind you of the action of sending, helping you remember its pronunciation and meaning.

Meanings of 发

fā(fa1)
primary
1to send out
2to show (one's feeling)
Exercise 1 of 2

By ear

Play it, then pick what 发 means.

About 发

发Simplified
發Traditional
5Strokes
又Radical
动词dòngcíverb (v.)Part of Speech
#531Frequency Rank
HSK 2.0L3HSK 3.0L3ElementaryTOCFLL2HSKKL1BCT✓CEFRA1

Podcast: 发

JasonAmy

Podcast: 发

Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you

AI study notes for 发

Quick Contrast

发 (fā) vs 送 (sòng) — use 发 when emphasizing the act of issuing or sending out something, while 送 focuses more on delivering something to a recipient.

Usage Notes

Learners often confuse 发 (fā) with other similar-sounding characters. It is important to remember that 发 is used in both formal and informal contexts. Common collocations include 发信息 (fā xìn xī - send a message) and 发财 (fā cái - make a fortune).

HSK Study Tips

As an HSK Level 3 word, 发 connects with other verbs and expressions related to communication and emotions. Students should focus on its varied meanings and practice using it in different sentence structures.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 发 (fā) with 发 (fǎ), which has a different meaning and tone. For example, saying 发 (fǎ) instead of 发 (fā) when referring to sending a message can lead to misunderstandings.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 发

Premium — Locked

Tone practice

Pro

Drill the tone of 发, say it back, see your pitch against the model voice, and earn XP towards mastery. Interactive tone practice is part of Pro.

Tone drillsPitch drawing+5 XP
Get Pro to unlock

Jason Explains 发 to you

Let me explain 发 for you

Make it yours

Jason looks at what you watch and listen to, the checkpoints you have cleared, our lessons and what you have been exploring, and explains 发 through them.

Sign in free to make it personal. New accounts start with 200 AI credits.

How well do you know 发?

Example

Learning Lab

Knowing 发 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.

  • MeaningFree
  • CharacterFree
  • PinyinFree
  • TonePro
  • ListeningPro
  • SpeakingPro
  • WritingPro
See the Learning Lab Three facets free · no card needed

Etymology of 发

Explanation

Simplified form of both 發 (send out; to issue) and 髮 (hair). Derived from 犬 (dog), the bottom component of 髮.

Learn more about character formation (六书)

Decomposition of 发

IDS Structure⿸？又
发Full character
=
又you4
enclosing
Exercise 1 of 1

Parts

Which of these is part of 发?

How to say to send out in Chinese

“to send out” in Chinese is发fā

The character 发 (fā) primarily means 'to send out' or 'to issue.' It is commonly used in contexts like sending out messages, expressing feelings, or developing something. Additionally, it can refer to hair and is often associated with financial success when used in certain phrases.

When to use 发

Learners often confuse 发 (fā) with other similar-sounding characters. It is important to remember that 发 is used in both formal and informal contexts. Common collocations include 发信息 (fā xìn xī - send a message) and 发财 (fā cái - make a fortune).

发 or something close to it

发 (fā) vs 送 (sòng) — use 发 when emphasizing the act of issuing or sending out something, while 送 focuses more on delivering something to a recipient.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 发 (fā) with 发 (fǎ), which has a different meaning and tone. For example, saying 发 (fǎ) instead of 发 (fā) when referring to sending a message can lead to misunderstandings.

Write 发

发

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

Write correctly 3 times to earn XP

Grammar patterns of 发

发 functions as a verb — the action or state of the sentence. The Chinese order is Subject + Verb + Object (我吃饭). Negate it with 不 (habitual / future) or 没(有) (completed action). Add aspect markers like 了, 过, 着 directly after the verb. It carries 10 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.

Related grammar lessons6
Exercise 1 of 4

Fill the gap

Type the missing word. Pinyin works; then pick the character.

我们明天八点出____，好吗？

Let us leave at 8 tomorrow, okay?

Example sentences for 发 (13)

Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
vto send out10
1
我发现脚下的水只有3英尺深。

wǒ fāxiàn jiǎo xià de shuǐ zhǐyǒu3 Yīng chě shēn。

I found myself in water only three feet deep.
2
会上发言者的一句话让我思绪飘远。

huì shàng fāyán zhě de yījùhuà ràng wǒ sīxù piāo yuǎn。

A phrase from the conference floor set my mind wandering.
3
“我想发份电报。”——“好的，发给谁？”

“ wǒ xiǎng fā fèn diànbào。”——“ hǎode， fā gěi shéi？”

"I want to send a telegram." — "Fine, to whom?"
4
首相承诺以色列将发挥积极的作用。

shǒuxiàng chéngnuò yǐ sè liè jiāng fāhuī jījí de zuòyòng。

The Prime Minister has promised that Israel will play a constructive role.
5
电影以写实开头，然后却发展成为荒诞的幻想。

diànyǐng yǐ xiě shí kāitóu， ránhòu què fāzhǎn chéngwéi huāngdàn de huànxiǎng。

The film starts off realistically and then develops into a ridiculous fantasy.
6
它的发电成本要比核电站低。

tā de fādiàn chéngběn yào bǐ hédiànzhàn dī。

It will produce electricity more cheaply than a nuclear plant.
7
有时事情并不像我们认为的那样发展。

yǒushí shìqing bìng bù xiàng wǒmen rènwéi de nàyàng fāzhǎn。

Sometimes things don't turn out the way we think they're going to.
8
他们发行一定数量的可公开交易的股票。

tāmen fāxíng yídìng shùliàng de kě gōngkāi jiāoyì de gǔpiào。

They issue a fixed number of shares that trade publicly.
9
发电站烧的煤产自鲁尔地区。

fādiàn zhàn shāo de méi chǎn zì Lǔ ěr dìqū。

The power stations burn coal from the Ruhr region.
10
我发现当我们的目光相遇时，我本能地还以微笑。

wǒ fāxiàn dāng wǒmen de mùguāng xiāngyù shí， wǒ běnnéng dì hái yǐ wēixiào。

I found myself smiling back instinc-tively when our eyes met.
vto show (one's feeling)3
11
他很少在别人面前发脾气。

Tā hěn shǎo zài biérén miànqián fā píqi.

He rarely shows his temper in front of others.
12
他很少在别人面前发脾气。

Tā hěn shǎo zài biérén miànqián fā píqi.

He rarely shows his temper in front of others.
13
他很少在别人面前发脾气。

Tā hěn shǎo zài biérén miànqián fā píqi.

He rarely shows his temper in front of others.

Ask Jason

Have a question about 发?

Jason answers about this word at your level: example sentences, how it differs from similar words, and a way to remember it.

Sign in free to ask. New accounts start with 200 AI credits.

Word Family of 发

Compounds7
废fèito abolish
拨bōto push aside with the hand, foot, a stick etc
泼pōto splash
茇bástraw, thatch
盋bō
袯bóraincoat
酦fāto ferment, to brew
Words containing this character20
发生fāshēngto happen發生
发现fāxiànto find發現
发展fāzhǎngrowth發展
发fāto send out發
开发kāifāto develop開發
头发tóufahair (on the head)頭髮
发誓fāshìto vow發誓
发表fābiǎoto issue發表
出发chūfāto set off出發
发挥fāhuīto display發揮
转发zhuǎnfāto transmit轉發
发出fāchūto send out發出
发布fābùto release發佈
发行fāxíngto publish發行
发射fāshèto launch發射
发动fādòngto start發動
引发yǐnfāto lead to引發
发明fāmíngto invent發明
发型fàxínghairstyle髮型
沙发shāfāsofa (loanword)沙發
Exercise 1 of 4

Characters with 发

What does 废 mean?

Frequently asked questions about 发

发 can mean 'to send out' in communication, 'to show feelings' in emotional expressions, and 'to develop' in various situations.

Jason Recommends

Not sure what to learn after 发?

Jason picks three words from your level and explains why each one is worth your time next. It takes a free account so he knows what you already know.

A sample week, replayed. Every page you study lands here in the order you did it — your own replay starts with a free account.

See the Learning Lab