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充 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
充chōngto fillHSK 7, v, 6 strokes, radical 儿, rank #8883, Very Hard
充chōngto satisfyHSK 7, v, 6 strokes, radical 儿, rank #8883, Very Hard
充chōngto fulfillHSK 7, v, 6 strokes, radical 儿, rank #8883, Very Hard
充chōngto act in place ofHSK 7, v, 6 strokes, radical 儿, rank #8883, Very Hard
充chōngsubstituteHSK 7, v, 6 strokes, radical 儿, rank #8883, Very Hard
充chōngsufficientHSK 7, v, 6 strokes, radical 儿, rank #8883, Very Hard
充chōngfullHSK 7, v, 6 strokes, radical 儿, rank #8883, Very Hard
充chōngto fill, to supply; to be fullHSK 7, v, 6 strokes, radical 儿, rank #8883, Very Hard
chōng(chong1)chong T1
  1. 1to fill
  2. 2to satisfy
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March 24, 2026

充chōng(chong1)

The character 充 (chōng) primarily means 'to fill' or 'to satisfy.' It is commonly used in contexts involving filling something up, such as a container, or satisfying a need or requirement. The character can also denote acting in place of someone or something, suggesting a sense of substitution or sufficiency.

Strokes6Radical儿Frequency#8883DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, the concept of 充 can relate to hospitality, where hosts aim to 'fill' their guests with good food and a warm atmosphere, reflecting the importance of satisfaction and abundance in social interactions.

Memory Tip

Imagine a large container that is 充 (chōng) with water until it's overflowing. The container represents the idea of being full, and the pronunciation 'chōng' sounds like 'chong' which can remind you of 'chugging' a drink until it’s full.

Meanings of 充

chōng(chong1)
1to fill
2to satisfy
Exercise 1 of 2

By ear

Play it, then pick what 充 means.

About 充

充Simplified
6Strokes
儿Radical
动词dòngcíverb (v.)Part of Speech
#8883Frequency Rank
HSK 3.0L7AdvancedTOCFLL5CEFRC2

Podcast: 充

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Podcast: 充

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AI Study Notes for 充

Quick Contrast

充 (chōng) vs 满 (mǎn) — use 充 when emphasizing the act of filling or satisfying, while 满 focuses on the state of being full.

Usage Notes

Learners often confuse 充 with similar words like 满 (mǎn), which also means 'full' but has a slightly different nuance. 充 is more about the act of filling, while 满 refers to the state of being full. Use 充 in both formal and informal contexts, but be cautious about tone; ensure you pronounce it with the correct first tone.

HSK Study Tips

While 充 is not explicitly listed in HSK levels, it connects well with other verbs of filling or sufficiency found in HSK 3 and 4. Focus on using it in phrases that require fulfillment of needs or filling physical spaces to enhance your vocabulary.

Common Mistakes

Learners might incorrectly use 充 in contexts where 满 would be more appropriate, such as saying '这杯子充了水' (This cup is filled with water) instead of '这杯子满了水' (This cup is full of water). Remember, 充 emphasizes the action of filling.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 充

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Etymology of 充

Explanation

Origin unclear. The 子 (child) component is upside-down.

Learn more about character formation (六书)

Decomposition of 充

IDS Structure⿱亠允
充Full Character
=
亠tou2
top
允yun3
bottom
Exercise 1 of 2

Parts

Which of these is part of 充?

How to say to fill in Chinese

“to fill” in Chinese is充chōng

The character 充 (chōng) primarily means 'to fill' or 'to satisfy.' It is commonly used in contexts involving filling something up, such as a container, or satisfying a need or requirement. The character can also denote acting in place of someone or something, suggesting a sense of substitution or sufficiency.

When to use 充

Learners often confuse 充 with similar words like 满 (mǎn), which also means 'full' but has a slightly different nuance. 充 is more about the act of filling, while 满 refers to the state of being full. Use 充 in both formal and informal contexts, but be cautious about tone; ensure you pronounce it with the correct first tone.

充 or something close to it

充 (chōng) vs 满 (mǎn) — use 充 when emphasizing the act of filling or satisfying, while 满 focuses on the state of being full.

What learners get wrong

Learners might incorrectly use 充 in contexts where 满 would be more appropriate, such as saying '这杯子充了水' (This cup is filled with water) instead of '这杯子满了水' (This cup is full of water). Remember, 充 emphasizes the action of filling.

Write 充

充

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

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Grammar Patterns of 充

充 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 8 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.

Exercise 1 of 4

Fill the gap

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

生活就是这样,时而让人失望,时而让人____满信心。

Life is just like this — sometimes disappointing, sometimes filling you with confidence.

Common Confusions with 充

充vs冲
chōng

Same pronunciation but different meaning and shape.

Exercise 1 of 1

Which one

Which one means “to fill”?

or

Example Sentences for 充 (10)

Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
我妈妈充当了泽尔达和她妈妈之间的调解人。

wǒ mā mā chōng dāng le zé ěr dá hé tā mā mā zhī jiān de tiáo jiě rén。

My mom was the one who mediated between Zelda and her mom.
2
除了给轮胎充气外,我没做过任何汽车保养。

chú le gěi lún tāi chōng qì wài, , wǒ méi zuò guò rèn hé qì chē bǎo。

Other than blowing up a tyre I hadn't done any car maintenance.
3
许多学生并未做好接受高等教育的充分准备。

xǔ duō xué shēng bìng wèi zuò hǎo jiē shòu gāo děng jiào yù de chōng fēn zhǔn bèi。

Many students are not adequately prepared for higher education.
4
空气中充满诱人的烤牛肉香味。

kōng qì zhōng chōng mǎn yòu rén de kǎo niú ròu xiāng wèi。

A tantalising aroma of roast beef fills the air.
5
你的饮食中新鲜果蔬充足吗?

nǐ de yǐn shí zhōng xīn xiān guǒ shū chōng zú ma?

Are there plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables in your diet?
6
他在用你家里的电源给他的车载蓄电池充电。

tā zài yòng nǐ jiā lǐ de diàn yuán gěi tā de chē zǎi xù diàn chí chōng diàn。

He is using your mains electricity to recharge his car battery.
7
你应该充分利用我们的教学课程。

nǐ yīng gāi chōng fēn lì yòng wǒ mén de jiào xué kè chéng。

You may wish to take advantage of our instructional session.
8
花园充其量不过是抗拒自然的一时之法。

huā yuán chōng qí liáng bù guò shì kàng jù zì rán de yī shí zhī fǎ。

A garden is, at best, a holding operation against nature.
9
经过一连串充满敌意的争吵,交易泡汤了。

jīng guò yī lián chuàn chōng mǎn dí yì de zhēng chǎo, , jiāo yì pào tāng。

The deal ended after a series of rancorous disputes.
10
这毕竟是一家现金充裕的公司。

zhè bì jìng shì yī jiā xiàn jīn chōng yù de gōng sī。

This, after all, is a company which is awash with cash.

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Word Family of 充

Compounds6
统tong3to gather
铳chong4ancient weapon; blunderbuss
珫
統tong3to govern, to command; to gather, to unite
茺chong1
銃chong4ancient weapon; blunderbuss
Words Containing This Character20
充满chōngmǎnfull of充滿
充分chōngfènample
补充bǔchōngto replenish補充
充足chōngzúadequate
充chōngto fill
充实chōngshírich充實
充电chōngdiànto recharge batteries充電
充当chōngdāngto serve as充當
冒充màochōngto feign
充斥to flood
充气to inflate充氣
填充tiánchōngpad
精力充沛vigorous
充裕abundant
充电器chōngdiànqìbattery charger充電器
充值to recharge (money onto a card)
充沛chōngpèiabundant
扩充kuòchōngto expand擴充
充血blood congestion
充值卡rechargeable card
Exercise 1 of 4

Characters with 充

What does 统 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 充

充 has several meanings, including 'to fill,' 'to satisfy,' and 'to fulfill.' It can also refer to acting in place of someone, thus serving as a substitute. Depending on the context, it can imply sufficiency or completeness as well.

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