化 huà — change, transform · English

化

huà

change, transform

At a glance · 化

Listen

Audio is synthesized in your browser: Mandarin for the character and Shuowen text, native voices for every translation. No downloads.

Evolution of the glyph

Five stages, from a sketch of the real object to regular script — tap a stage, drag the timeline, or play the animation.

Object sketchBefore writing · drawing what was seen
Oracle boneShang dynasty · c. 1300–1046 BCE
Seal scriptQin dynasty · 221–206 BCE
Clerical scriptHan dynasty · 206 BCE–220 CE
Regular scriptWei–Jin to Tang · c. 3rd–9th century CE

Object sketchBefore writing · drawing what was seenOracle boneShang dynasty · c. 1300–1046 BCESeal scriptQin dynasty · 221–206 BCEClerical scriptHan dynasty · 206 BCE–220 CERegular scriptWei–Jin to Tang · c. 3rd–9th century CE

化字小篆从人从倒人，会意为变化、教化；本义为变化。甲骨文象一人正一人倒，示变化。

What the sketch shows

Origins & notes

化本义为变化、转化，引申为教化。

Structure

会意字，从人从反人，表示正反变化。

At a glance

Pinyinhuà

Radical亻

Strokes4

UnicodeU+5316

Character type会意

Theme动作

Six languages, one character

Each page offers hreflang versions; switching language keeps the glyphs and meanings aligned.

English change, transform Hua is an associative character of an upright and an inverted person, meaning change and transform.

Français changer, transformer Hua est un caractère associatif d'une personne droite et d'une renversée, signifiant changer et transformer.

Español cambiar, transformar Hua es un carácter asociativo de una persona recta y una invertida, significa cambiar y transformar.

العربية يتغير، يحوّل خوا حرف تركيبي لشخص منتصب وآخر مقلوب، يعني التغيير والتحويل.

Русский изменять, превращать Хуа — ассоциативный знак прямого и перевёрнутого человека, означает изменять и превращать.

Common words

变化biàn huàchange
文化wén huàculture

◉ Listen