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March 24, 2026
画(畫)huà(hua4)
The character 画 (huà) refers to the act of drawing or the result of drawing, such as a picture or painting. It is commonly used in contexts related to art and creativity, and can denote both the physical artwork and the process of creating it.
Strokes8Radical田Frequency#825DifficultyMedium
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, painting is highly regarded and has a rich history, with traditional styles like ink wash painting (水墨画) being celebrated. The character 画 embodies this artistic heritage.
Memory Tip
Imagine a painter standing in front of a blank canvas, ready to create a beautiful picture (画). The radical '亻' suggests a person, and the '各' can remind you of various brush strokes. Think of 'huà' as the sound of a brush sweeping across the canvas.
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AI Study Notes for 画
Quick Contrast
图 (tú) — use 画 (huà) when emphasizing the act of drawing or artistic creation, while 图 (tú) is more about the image or representation itself.
Memory Mnemonic
Imagine a painter standing in front of a blank canvas, ready to create a beautiful picture (画). The radical '亻' suggests a person, and the '各' can remind you of various brush strokes. Think of 'huà' as the sound of a brush sweeping across the canvas.
Usage Notes
Learners often confuse 画 with the similar-sounding words for other actions, so pay attention to context. It is generally informal, but can be used in formal contexts related to art. Common collocations include 画画 (to draw) and 画家 (painter).
HSK Study Tips
As an HSK Level 3 word, 画 connects with other art-related vocabulary at this level, such as 美术 (měishù - fine arts). Students should focus on using it in sentences related to hobbies or professions involving art.
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, painting is highly regarded and has a rich history, with traditional styles like ink wash painting (水墨画) being celebrated. The character 画 embodies this artistic heritage.
Common Mistakes
Learners might mistakenly use 画 in contexts where another verb like 写 (xiě - to write) would be appropriate, such as saying '我画字' instead of '我写字' (wǒ xiě zì - I write characters). Always ensure you're using 画 in visual contexts.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 画
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Pictograph of a hand holding a writing utensil (聿) and drawing something. The simplified character 画 was adapted from the cursive form of the traditional character 畫.
Memory Hint
A painting on an easel; compare 畫, which includes the brush
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Practice writing 画 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
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Grammar Patterns of 画
画 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 7 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.
It shows a fox being disembowelled by a pack of hounds.
Cultural Notes for 画
💡Did you know?
In traditional Chinese culture, painting is considered one of the highest forms of art, often emphasizing harmony with nature and expressing emotions through brush strokes.
🏮Cultural insight
In Chinese culture, painting is highly regarded and has a rich history, with traditional styles like ink wash painting (水墨画) being celebrated. The character 画 embodies this artistic heritage.
Word Family of 画
Compounds1
婳
Words Containing This Character20
画huàto draw畫
画面huàmiànscene畫面
漫画mànhuàcaricature漫畫
画家huàjiāpainter畫家
动画dònghuàanimation動畫
绘画huìhuàdrawing繪畫
画廊gallery畫廊
油画yóuhuàoil painting油畫
动画片dònghuàpiànanimated film動畫片
画像portrait畫像
书画painting and calligraphy書畫
图画túhuàdrawing圖畫
指手画脚zhǐshǒuhuàjiǎoto gesticulate while talking (idiom)指手畫腳
壁画bìhuàfresco壁畫
画报illustrated magazine畫報
刻画to portray刻畫
画展huàzhǎnart exhibition畫展
画册huàcèpicture album畫冊
漫画家cartoon writer (from Japanese mangaka)漫畫家
连环画lianhuanhua (graphic novel)連環畫
Exercise 1 of 4
Compound Meaning
What does 画 mean?
Frequently Asked Questions about 画
画 (huà) and 劃 (huà) are both pronounced the same and can mean 'to draw.' However, 画 is commonly used to refer to drawing and painting, while 劃 is more often associated with drawing lines or delineating. In everyday usage, 画 is the preferred character for artistic contexts.
Yes, 画 (huà) can be used as a noun to refer to a painting or picture. For instance, when you say '这幅画很美' (Zhè fú huà hěn měi), it means 'This painting is beautiful.' It highlights its dual function as both a verb and a noun in the Chinese language.
画 (huà) means 'to draw' or 'painting' in Chinese. It can refer to both the act of drawing and the artwork itself. In addition, it serves as a classifier for paintings and is sometimes a variant of the character 劃|划 (huà).
You can use 画 (huà) in a sentence to describe the action of drawing or to refer to a painting. For example, '我在画一幅画' (Wǒ zài huà yī fú huà) means 'I am drawing a picture.' It can also be used in phrases like '画画' (huà huà), which means 'to draw' or 'to paint.'
You can say '我喜欢画画' (wǒ xǐhuān huàhuà) meaning 'I like to draw.'
Both mean to draw or paint, but 画 is more commonly used in everyday language, while 绘 (huì) often refers to more formal or skilled forms of drawing.
Yes, 画 can refer to both traditional and digital art, so you can say '我在电脑上画画' (wǒ zài diànnǎo shàng huàhuà) meaning 'I draw on the computer.'
