Browse "HSK5" Characters

Every character has an origin. Discover the pictographs, myths, and history behind each Chinese character — with pinyin, stroke order, HSK level, and audio pronunciation.

刺

cī

This 8-stroke character looks like a knife stabbin

删

shān

Born from a knife slashing bamboo books 3,000 year

初

chū

A tailor's first cut into cloth — that's 初: not

冻

dòng

This 'freeze' character hides an 'east' inside —

凌

líng

This icy-climber character looks calm but hides a

冠

guān

This 'hat' isn't for sun protection—it's a sacred

册

cè

This 'book' character began as a drawing of bamboo

兼

jiān

Born as two hands gripping twin sheaves of grain,

兵

bīng

Its seven strokes depict a warrior’s stance — no

兔

tù

Its oracle bone form was a full-body rabbit profil

兑

duì

Originally a ritual breath-offering glyph, 兑 morp

充

chōng

This 'sufficient' character began as a picture of

偿

cháng

Its top half is 'reward' (赏), its bottom half is

亿

yì

Though it means ‘100 million,’ 亿 began as a poe

傻

shǎ

This 'foolish' character hides a tender paradox: i

催

cuī

Its right half 崔 means 'towering mountain'—so 催

傍

bàng

This 'near' character began as a person flanking a

偷

tōu

This 'steal' character hides a secret: its ancient

伟

wěi

Though it means 'great', 伟 isn’t about size — i

倡

chàng

Born from two suns shining over a person, 倡 doesn

俱

jù

Originally a pictograph of armed people gathering

俗

sú

Born from a person beside a valley, 俗 isn’t abou

俊

jùn

Originally picturing a dignified person with flowi

促

cù

This 'hasty' character began as a pictograph of a

依

yī

Though it means 'to depend on,' 依 began as 'perso

佩

pèi

Originally a pictograph of a person wearing ceremo

佛

fó

Born 2,000 years ago as China’s first imported sa

余

yú

A 3,000-year-old 'I' that refuses to be casual —

布

bù

This 5-stroke character began as a Bronze Age draw

似

sì

Born from a hand holding a ritual scoop, 似 evolve

伸

shēn

Born from a lightning bolt pictograph, 伸 evolved

伴

bàn

Born from ancient bronze script showing two halves

企

qǐ

This 'person-on-tiptoes' character started as a Br

仿

fǎng

Though it looks like a person walking a square pat

令

lǐng

A character born as 'a person kneeling to receive

代

dài

Originally a warrior stepping forward with a spear

享

xiǎng

Born as an altar pictograph 3,200 years ago, 享 st

乙

yǐ

This single-stroke character — shaped like a spro

乖

guāi

This character began as a picture of two people tu

乏

fá

Born as an oracle bone sketch of a collapsing body