Definitions

hóng (adjective) red
hóng (adjective) popular; successful
hóng (noun) bonus

Etymology

Simplified form of . Phonosemantic compound. represents the meaning and represents the sound.

Semantic: Phonetic:

About

The character 红, simplified from 紅, is a phono-semantic compound where the radical provides the meaning and the right component indicates the pronunciation. The radical 纟(simplified) or 糸(traditional) refers to silk or thread, linking the character to dyed textiles. The component 工 (gōng) acts solely as a phonetic marker. Originally, 红 described a light, pinkish-red dye for silk and garments, not a primary red. Over time, its meaning broadened from a specific textile color to the general term for red in Chinese.

Etymology Hide

Seal etymology image
Seal Chu (Warring States: 475-221 BC)
Seal etymology image
Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)
Clerical etymology image
Clerical Qin dynasty (221-206 BC)
Clerical etymology image
Clerical Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)
Seal etymology image
Seal Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)
Clerical etymology image
Clerical Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)
Traditional Modern
Simplified Modern

Example Sentences Hide

我妹妹喜欢色。

Wǒ mèimei xǐhuan hóngsè.

My younger sister likes the color red.

这些花很漂亮。

Zhèxiē hónghuā hěn piàoliang.

These red flowers are very beautiful.

她买了一些苹果。

Tā mǎi le yīxiē hóng píngguǒ.

She bought some red apples.

请小心看绿灯。

Qǐng xiǎoxīn kàn hónglǜdēng.

Please be careful and watch the traffic lights.

他紧张得脸了。

Tā jǐnzhāng de liǎn hóng le.

He was so nervous that his face turned red.

春节时我收到包。

Chūnjié shí wǒ shōu dào hóngbāo.

I received red envelopes during the Spring Festival.

那位演员最近很走

Nà wèi yǎnyuán zuìjìn hěn zǒuhóng.

That actor has become very popular recently.

革命旗在风中飘扬。

Gémìng hóngqí zài fēng zhōng piāoyáng.

The revolutionary red flag is fluttering in the wind.