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.

胸

xiōng

This character literally means 'chest'—but in Chi

胡

hú

This 'non-Han' character evolved from naming real

背

bēi

This character began as a pictograph of a person s

胃

wèi

This 'stomach' character began as a bronze-age pou

肩

jiān

This character began as a 3,000-year-old oracle bo

股

gǔ

From ancient bronze inscriptions depicting a crouc

肌

jī

Though it means 'muscle,' 肌 never stands alone —

肃

sù

This 'respectful' character began as a kneeling pe

耽

dān

Its top-radical 耳 (ear) isn't about hearing — it

翅

chì

This 'wing' character hides a secret: its right si

群

qún

This 'group' character hides a royal shepherd: its

骂

mà

Its top isn’t a net — it’s a cage for your word

罚

fá

Its top radical 罒 isn’t a net for fish — it’s

置

zhì

Originally a ritual scene of installing a bronze v

绳

shéng

Though it looks like it contains 'insect', 绳’s

绕

rào

Its nine strokes physically coil on the page — th

织

zhī

Though it looks like 'only' (只), 织 is all about

繁

fán

Its 17 strokes literally weave together silk threa

缩

suō

Its left side is silk under tension; its right sid

县

xiàn

This ‘county’ character began as a rope hanging

致

zhì

Though pronounced zhì like 'arrive', 致 doesn’t

缓

huǎn

Originally a pictograph of slackened silk thread

编

biān

This ‘weave’ character doesn’t just make cloth

绪

xù

Born from ancient silk-making — where 'finding th

纲

gāng

Born as the taut head rope of a fishing net, 纲 no

维

wéi

Born from silk threads and a bird’s silhouette, t

绸

chóu

Its right side 周 means 'surround' — a visual met

综

zèng

This character began as a loom’s heddle — a humb

丝

sī

Originally two mirrored silk filaments bound by a

统

tǒng

Born from a silk-knot pictograph, 统 evolved from

络

lào

Though it looks like a simple 'net,' 络 is actuall

组

zǔ

Born from ancient silk weaving, 组 visually binds

紫

zǐ

This 'purple' character hides a silk-dyeing secret

索

suǒ

This 'search' character began as a pictograph of a

素

sù

Born as a pictograph of undyed silk, 素 evolved in

纷

fēn

This 'numerous' character began as a picture of si

纯

chún

Born from unbroken silk thread and sprouting seeds

纳

nà

Originally a hand drawing thread inside — now the

粮

liáng

This character hides a granary in plain sight: 米

糟

zāo

Born from ancient rice wine vats, 糟 looks like 'r