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厚 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
厚hòuthickHSK 4, a, 9 strokes, radical 厂, rank #4609, Medium
厚hòudeep or profoundHSK 4, a, 9 strokes, radical 厂, rank #4609, Medium
厚hòukindHSK 4, a, 9 strokes, radical 厂, rank #4609, Medium
厚hòugenerousHSK 4, a, 9 strokes, radical 厂, rank #4609, Medium
厚hòurich or strong in flavorHSK 4, a, 9 strokes, radical 厂, rank #4609, Medium
厚hòuto favorHSK 4, a, 9 strokes, radical 厂, rank #4609, Medium
厚hòuto stressHSK 4, a, 9 strokes, radical 厂, rank #4609, Medium
厚hòugenerous; substantial; deep (as a friendship)HSK 4, a, 9 strokes, radical 厂, rank #4609, Medium
hòu(hou4) T4
  1. 1thick
  2. 2deep or profound
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026
厚hòu(hou4)

The character 厚 (hòu) primarily means 'thick' or 'deep,' often in a physical sense, such as describing the thickness of a book or a layer of material. It can also convey depth in a more abstract way, such as in friendships or kindness, suggesting a strong or substantial quality. In culinary contexts, it refers to rich or strong flavors.

Strokes9Radical厂Frequency#4609DifficultyMedium
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, the concept of 厚 often reflects the value placed on deep relationships and generosity. A '厚道' (hòudào) person is someone who is kind-hearted and trustworthy, embodying the cultural importance of loyalty and generosity.

Memory Tip

Imagine a 'thick' layer of 'honey' (sounds like 'hòu') that is so 'deep' you can barely see the bottom. The character 厚 visually resembles a roof (at the top) resting on a thick base, symbolizing strength and support.

Meanings of 厚

hòu(hou4)
1thick
2deep or profound
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 厚

厚Simplified
9Strokes
厂Radical
形容词xíngróngcíadjective (adj.)Part of Speech
#4609Frequency Rank
HSK 2.0L4HSK 3.0L4IntermediateTOCFLL4HSKKL2CEFRB1

Podcast: 厚

JasonAmy

Podcast: 厚

Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you

AI Study Notes for 厚

Quick Contrast

厚 (hòu) vs 深 (shēn) — use 厚 when describing physical thickness or substantial qualities, while 深 is used for depth in a more abstract or spatial sense.

Memory Mnemonic

Imagine a 'thick' layer of 'honey' (sounds like 'hòu') that is so 'deep' you can barely see the bottom. The character 厚 visually resembles a roof (at the top) resting on a thick base, symbolizing strength and support.

Usage Notes

When using 厚, it is important to match it with appropriate nouns, such as 厚书 (thick book) or 厚友 (close friend). Be cautious of tone; using the wrong tone can change the meaning entirely, as in hǒu (another character) which means 'to roar.' The term is generally informal but can be used in semi-formal contexts as well.

HSK Study Tips

As an HSK Level 4 word, 厚 connects well with other adjectives describing qualities, such as 薄 (báo - thin) and 深 (shēn - deep). Students should focus on understanding its various contexts and collocations to fully grasp its meaning.

Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, the concept of 厚 often reflects the value placed on deep relationships and generosity. A '厚道' (hòudào) person is someone who is kind-hearted and trustworthy, embodying the cultural importance of loyalty and generosity.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 厚 with 薄 (báo - thin) due to their similar usage contexts. For example, saying 厚书 (thick book) is correct, but mistakenly saying 厚薄 (thick-thin) instead of 厚度 (thickness) is incorrect.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 厚

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Etymology of 厚

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

Depicts a container of wine that has been aging in a cave, thus having a strong flavor.

Memory Hint

Sunlight 日 and children 子 in a building 厂

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

Character Formation Type

What type of character formation is 厚?

Decomposition of 厚

IDS Structure⿸⿸厂日子
厚Full Character
=
厂chang3
enclosing
日Ri4
inner
子zi3
Exercise 1 of 3

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 厚?

Write 厚

厚

Practice writing 厚 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 厚

厚 functions as an adjective. In Chinese it behaves like a stative verb: place it directly after the subject without 是 (我很高，not 我是高). Use 不 to negate (不高) and pair it with 很 in plain affirmative sentences. It carries 8 related meanings, each with its own usage notes below. The patterns below break down its most common sentence frames, with example sentences and practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) for each one.

Related grammar lessons6
是…的 emphasis是 + [V] + 的
HSK 3

...

这本书是厚的。

zhè běn shū shì hòu de.

This book is thick.

Exercise 1 of 1

Build the Sentence

This book is thick.

Tap tokens to build the sentence

Common Confusions with 厚

厚 means thick, while 薄 means thin.

1

这本书比那本书厚。

厚 means thick, while 薄 means thin.

💡厚 and 薄 are opposites; think of a thick layer versus a thin one.

Usage Notes for 厚

Using 厚 with non-physical contextsCommon Error

Learners often mistakenly use 厚 in contexts that require a more metaphorical meaning, such as 'deep' in a non-physical sense.

1

他的情感很厚。

His emotions are very thick.

Exercise 1 of 1

Fill in the Blank

他的情感很____。

His emotions are very thick.

Example Sentences for 厚 (10)

Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
你从很小的时候就对下棋产生了浓厚兴趣。

nǐ cóng hěn xiǎo de shí hòu jiù duì xià qí chǎn shēng le nóng hòu xīng qù。

You've had chess on the brain since you were little.
2
要当校长，你就得脸皮厚一些。

yào dāng xiào cháng， ， nǐ jiù dé liǎn pí hòu yī。

You need a thick skin to be a headmaster.
3
从法律的角度来说，当地税务局的做法是无可厚非的。

cóng fǎ lǜ de jiǎo dù lái shuō， ， dāng dì shuì wù jú de zuò fǎ shì wú kě hòu fēi。

Legally, the local tax office is in the right.
4
这伙歹徒如此胆大妄为、厚颜无耻，让我很是震惊。

zhè huǒ dǎi tú rú cǐ dǎn dà wàng wéi、 、 hòu yán wú， chǐ ， ràng wǒ hěn shì。

I was shocked at the audacity and brazenness of the gangsters.
5
我的衬裙已经蹿到臀部，厚厚地卷成一圈。

wǒ de chèn qún yǐ jīng cuān dào tún bù， ， hòu hòu dì juàn chéng yī。

My underskirt had ridden up into a thick band around my hips.
6
多亏一块1/4英寸厚的防弹钢板，他才捡了条命。

duō kuī yī kuài1/4 1/4 yīng cùn hòu de fáng dàn gāng， bǎn ， tā cái jiǎn le。

His life was saved by a quarter-inch-thick bullet-proof steel screen.
7
我们有浓厚的家族传统，我们无法逃避。

wǒ mén yǒu nóng hòu de jiā zú chuán tǒng， ， wǒ mén wú fǎ táo。

We had strong family traditions; we couldn't escape them.
8
戒指内侧有一层厚厚的锈斑。

jiè zhǐ nèi cè yǒu yī céng hòu hòu de xiù bān。

The tarnish lay thick on the inside of the ring.
9
一些城市总会有一些得天独厚的优势。

yī xiē chéng shì zǒng huì yǒu yī xiē dé tiān dú hòu de yōu shì。

Some cities are always going to be more advantaged.
10
当上医院的高级职员就有可能享受丰厚的经济报酬。

dāng shàng yī yuàn de gāo jí zhí yuán jiù yǒu kě néng xiǎng shòu fēng hòu de jīng jì bào chóu。

Potentially high financial rewards are attached to senior hospital posts.

Cultural Notes for 厚

🏮Cultural insight

In Chinese culture, the concept of 厚 often reflects the value placed on deep relationships and generosity. A '厚道' (hòudào) person is someone who is kind-hearted and trustworthy, embodying the cultural importance of loyalty and generosity.

Word Family of 厚

Words Containing This Character20
厚hòuthick
丰厚fēnghòugenerous豐厚
深厚shēnhòudeep
厚道hòudaogenerous
厚度hòudùthickness
浓厚nónghòudense濃厚
雄厚xiónghòurobust
厚重thick
无可厚非wúkěhòufēiunderstandable無可厚非
厚望great hopes
厚实thick厚實
优厚generous, liberal (pay, compensation)優厚
厚脸皮brazen厚臉皮
肥厚plump
宽厚kuānhòutolerant寬厚
得天独厚détiāndúhòublessed by heaven (idiom)得天獨厚
厚礼generous gifts厚禮
浑厚simple and honest渾厚
憨厚simple and honest
醇厚chúnhòumellow and rich
Exercise 1 of 4

Compound Meaning

What does 厚 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 厚

厚 (hòu) means 'thick,' while 薄 (bó) means 'thin.' These terms are often used to describe the physical thickness of objects, but can also apply to concepts like kindness or depth of flavor.