Definitions

huò (adverb) suddenly; abruptly
Huò (noun) used in given names; place names

Etymology

Birds  caught in a sudden storm 

About

The character 霍, composed of 雨 meaning "rain" and 隹 meaning "bird", derives from an early conceptualization of birds flying quickly through rainfall, thus embodying a sense of rapid movement or instantaneity. Its etymology likely incorporates an onomatopoeic element mimicking the sound of pouring rain or fluttering wings, which gradually condensed into the abstract notion of suddenness. Over time, the character's application shifted from describing immediate natural phenomena to expressing any abrupt action or event, and it has since settled into modern usage primarily as an adverb meaning "suddenly" while also functioning as a common surname. The structural composition of 霍 has remained unchanged, with its components continuously reflecting this original associative meaning.

Etymology Hide

Oracle etymology image
Oracle (~1250-1000 BC)
Oracle etymology image
Oracle (~1250-1000 BC)
Bronze etymology image
Bronze Late Western Zhou (~800 BC)
Bronze etymology image
Bronze Western Zhou (1045-771 BC)
Seal etymology image
Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)
Traditional Modern
Simplified Modern

Example Sentences Hide

乱传播得很快。

Huòluàn chuánbō dé hěn kuài.

Cholera spreads quickly.

然站了起来。

Tā huòrán zhàn le qǐlái.

He suddenly stood up.

地磨着刀。

Tā huòhuò de mó zhe dāo.

He is sharpening the knife with a scraping sound.

金是著名的科学家。

Huò Jīn shì zhùmíng de kēxuéjiā.

Stephen Hawking is a famous scientist.

地一声,他跳了起来。

Huò dì yī shēng, tā tiào le qǐlái.

With a sudden sound, he jumped up.

夜空中闪了一道光。

Yèkōng zhōng huòshǎn le yī dào guāng.

A flash of light appeared in the night sky.

预防乱需要清洁的水源。

Yùfáng huòluàn xūyào qīngjié de shuǐyuán.

Preventing cholera requires clean water sources.

然醒悟后,他决定改变生活方式。

Huòrán xǐngwù hòu, tā juédìng gǎibiàn shēnghuó fāngshì.

After suddenly realizing, he decided to change his lifestyle.