Browse "HSK6" 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.

钉

dīng

Originally a pictograph of a sturdy post, 钉 evolv

衅

xìn

This 'quarrel' character contains actual blood (血

酿

niàng

This character began as a wine-jar-and-perfection

酝

yùn

This character began as a picture of steam rising

酷

kù

A wine jar + a formal report created a character f

酬

chóu

Born from ancient wine rituals, 酬 isn’t just ‘e

酗

xù

This character isn’t just ‘drunk’ — its very s

酌

zhuó

This character began as a Bronze Age picture of a

郑

zhèng

This 'solemn city' character started as a fortifie

鄙

bǐ

Originally a map of grain-storing frontier towns,

郎

láng

Born as 'a man of excellence stationed on a noble

郁

yù

This 8-stroke character began as a picture of ferm

迈

mài

Though it looks like '10,000 walking', 迈 is actua

辽

liáo

This five-stroke character looks simple but carrie

迁

qiān

This six-stroke character hides a royal relocation

遮

zhē

It looks like 'walking' + 'common people', but 遮

遭

zāo

Originally a pictograph of 'walking into official

遣

qiǎn

This character began as a royal order etched in br

逊

xùn

This 'abdication' character hides a walking radica

遥

yáo

This character looks like a sage walking off the e

遏

è

This 'motion-halting' character evolved from a kne

逮

dǎi

This character’s 11 strokes literally depict chas

逢

féng

Originally a bronze-age banner-waving figure walki

逝

shì

This elegant 10-stroke character began as a bronze

逆

nì

Its ancient form shows a person standing on their

迸

bèng

Its radical is 'walking,' yet it means 'burst fort

迄

qì

A six-stroke character shaped like a runner haltin

辱

rǔ

Its radical 辰 once symbolized the Dragon Star gov

辫

biàn

This 17-stroke character hides a political lightni

辨

biàn

This 16-stroke character began as twin judges wiel

辟

bì

This 'king' character isn’t crowned — it’s arme

辜

gū

Though it looks like 'ancient bitterness,' 辜 hide

轰

hōng

Originally three roaring chariots in bronze script

辙

zhé

Born as a bronze-age pictograph of cart ruts, 辙 e

辕

yuán

This ‘shaft’ character hides a royal pun: its to

辖

xiá

This 'linchpin' character began as a literal metal

舆

yú

This 'chassis' character evolved from ancient char

辐

fú

This 'spoke' character gave Chinese its word for r

辉

huī

Born from bronze ritual vessels glowing in temple

轨

guǐ

Born from ancient chariot ruts measured with preci