HSK 7, v, 7 strokes, radical 扌, rank #4052, Very Hard
抗
kàng
to fight
HSK 7, v, 7 strokes, radical 扌, rank #4052, Very Hard
抗
kàng
to defy
HSK 7, v, 7 strokes, radical 扌, rank #4052, Very Hard
抗
kàng
anti-
HSK 7, v, 7 strokes, radical 扌, rank #4052, Very Hard
kàng(kang4) T4
1to resist
2to fight
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March 24, 2026
抗kàng(kang4)
The character 抗 (kàng) means 'to resist' or 'to fight against.' It is commonly used in contexts involving opposition or defiance, such as resisting authority or fighting against an illness. The term has a strong connotation of courage and determination.
Strokes7Radical扌Frequency#4052DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, the idea of resistance is often celebrated in historical contexts, such as the resistance against foreign invasions. The term is prevalent in discussions about social justice and activism, reflecting the resilience of the people.
Memory Tip
Imagine a strong warrior with a shield (the character's left side radical) standing firm against a storm (the right side represents movement against something). This visual of resistance helps connect the character's meaning to its pronunciation, 'kàng,' which sounds like 'kangaroo,' a creature that stands strong in the face of challenges.
Meanings of 抗
kàng(kang4)
1to resist
2to fight
Exercise 1 of 2
Listen & Choose the Meaning
Choose the correct answer:
About 抗
抗Simplified
7Strokes
扌Radical
动词dòngcíverb (v.)Part of Speech
#4052Frequency Rank
HSK 3.0L7
Podcast: 抗
Podcast: 抗
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AI Study Notes for 抗
Quick Contrast
抗 (kàng) vs 反 (fǎn) — use 抗 when emphasizing resistance or defiance, while 反 focuses on opposition or counteraction.
Usage Notes
Be cautious with the tone; 'kàng' is pronounced with a fourth tone, which can be confused with other tones leading to misinterpretation. This word is often used in both formal and informal contexts, especially in discussions about health (抗病) or social movements (抗议). Common collocations include 抗争 (kàngzhēng, to struggle against) and 抗击 (kàngjī, to fight against).
HSK Study Tips
Although 抗 is not an HSK level word, it connects well with other verbs of action and resistance found in the HSK curriculum. Students should focus on practicing its usage in sentences, especially in combination with nouns to form phrases like 抗击病毒 (fight against viruses).
Common Mistakes
Learners often confuse 抗 with similar-sounding words like 亢 (kàng), which means 'high' or 'excessive.' For example, saying 抗高 instead of 抗病 is incorrect; the correct term for 'resist illness' is 抗病.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 抗
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Phonosemantic compound. 扌 represents the meaning and 亢 represents the sound.
1The giveawayFighting 亢 with bare hands 扌; 亢 also provides the pronunciation
2On the record asideographic — someone drew an idea rather than an object.
Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.
Want the full history of 抗? Jason searches the paleographic record, weighs the competing accounts and judges the popular story.
Charged once for this character — everyone reads it afterwards.
Exercise 1 of 1
Character Formation Type
What type of character formation is 抗?
Decomposition of 抗
IDS Structure⿰扌亢
抗Full Character
=
扌shou3
left
亢Kang4
right
Exercise 1 of 2
Identify the Components
Which of these is a component of 抗?
How to say to resist in Chinese
“to resist” in Chinese is抗kàng
The character 抗 (kàng) means 'to resist' or 'to fight against.' It is commonly used in contexts involving opposition or defiance, such as resisting authority or fighting against an illness. The term has a strong connotation of courage and determination.
When to use 抗
Be cautious with the tone; 'kàng' is pronounced with a fourth tone, which can be confused with other tones leading to misinterpretation. This word is often used in both formal and informal contexts, especially in discussions about health (抗病) or social movements (抗议). Common collocations include 抗争 (kàngzhēng, to struggle against) and 抗击 (kàngjī, to fight against).
抗 or something close to it
抗 (kàng) vs 反 (fǎn) — use 抗 when emphasizing resistance or defiance, while 反 focuses on opposition or counteraction.
What learners get wrong
Learners often confuse 抗 with similar-sounding words like 亢 (kàng), which means 'high' or 'excessive.' For example, saying 抗高 instead of 抗病 is incorrect; the correct term for 'resist illness' is 抗病.
Write 抗
抗
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Practice writing 抗 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
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Grammar Patterns of 抗
抗 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 4 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.
