Skip to content
Start your Chinese Learning JourneyStart Now
騁 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
騁chěngto gallop, to hasten, to hurryx, 17 strokes, radical 馬
chěng(cheng3) T3
  1. 1to gallop, to hasten, to hurry
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

騁chěng(cheng3)

The character 騁 (chěng) means to gallop or to hasten, often used to describe the rapid movement of horses. It can also imply a sense of urgency in various contexts, such as hastening one's actions or decisions. This character is commonly found in literature and poetry, evoking imagery of swift motion.

Strokes17Radical馬
Cultural Note

In traditional Chinese culture, horses were essential for transport and communication, symbolizing power and speed. The character 騁 connects to this cultural significance, emphasizing the importance of being swift in both physical and metaphorical journeys.

Memory Tip

Imagine a horse galloping freely across a vast field, its hooves pounding the ground as it hurries forward. The character 騁 is like the galloping horse, with the radical for 'horse' (馬) at its core, emphasizing speed and urgency in its form.

Meanings of 騁

chěng(cheng3)
1to gallop, to hasten, to hurry
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 騁

騁Simplified
17Strokes
馬Radical
非语素字non-morpheme character (n-m.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 騁

JasonAmy

Podcast: 騁

Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you

AI Study Notes for 騁

Quick Contrast

奔 (bēn) - use 騁 (chěng) when emphasizing the urgency or swiftness of movement, while 奔 (bēn) focuses more on the act of running or rushing.

Usage Notes

Be cautious of the tone when pronouncing 騁, as it falls under the third tone, which can change its meaning if mispronounced. This character is typically used in a more literary or poetic context, so it may not be suitable for everyday conversation. Common collocations include phrases related to speed or urgency.

HSK Study Tips

While 騁 is not part of the HSK vocabulary, understanding it can enhance your comprehension of more advanced texts that discuss themes of speed and movement. Focus on connecting this character with related terms such as 快 (kuài, fast) and 迅速 (xùnsù, rapid) to build a deeper vocabulary around the concept of speed.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 騁 with similar-sounding characters like 成 (chéng), which means 'to become.' Ensure you remember that 騁 specifically relates to speed and galloping, not transformation.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 騁

Premium — Locked

AI tone practice

Pro

Drill the tone of 騁 with AI-powered exercises, get instant feedback, and earn XP toward mastery. Interactive tone practice is part of Pro.

Tone drillsInstant feedback+5 XP
See plans to unlock

Etymology of 騁

Formation Typepictophonetic
六书 ClassificationPhono-semantic (形声字)~80-90% of characters
Explanation

Phonosemantic compound. 马 represents the meaning and 甹 represents the sound. Simplified form of 騁.

Memory Hint

horse

Semantic (meaning)馬
+
Phonetic (sound)甹
Learn more about Phono-semantic (形声字) characters

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 騁

Phonosemantic compound. 马 represents the meaning and 甹 represents the sound. Simplified form of 騁.

  1. 1The meaning half馬 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half甹 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
  3. 3The giveawayhorse
  4. 4On the record aspictophonetic.

Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.

Want the full history of 騁? Jason searches the paleographic record, weighs the competing accounts and judges the popular story.

Charged once for this character — everyone reads it afterwards.
Exercise 1 of 1

Character Formation Type

What type of character formation is 騁?

Decomposition of 騁

IDS Structure⿰馬甹
騁Full Character
=
馬ma3
left
甹ping1
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 騁?

How to say to gallop, to hasten, to hurry in Chinese

“to gallop, to hasten, to hurry” in Chinese is騁chěng

The character 騁 (chěng) means to gallop or to hasten, often used to describe the rapid movement of horses. It can also imply a sense of urgency in various contexts, such as hastening one's actions or decisions. This character is commonly found in literature and poetry, evoking imagery of swift motion.

When to use 騁

Be cautious of the tone when pronouncing 騁, as it falls under the third tone, which can change its meaning if mispronounced. This character is typically used in a more literary or poetic context, so it may not be suitable for everyday conversation. Common collocations include phrases related to speed or urgency.

騁 or something close to it

奔 (bēn) - use 騁 (chěng) when emphasizing the urgency or swiftness of movement, while 奔 (bēn) focuses more on the act of running or rushing.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 騁 with similar-sounding characters like 成 (chéng), which means 'to become.' Ensure you remember that 騁 specifically relates to speed and galloping, not transformation.

Write 騁

騁

Practice writing 騁 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.

Write correctly 3 times to earn XP

Word Family of 騁

Words Containing This Character3
驰骋to gallop馳騁
骋chěngto run騁
纵横驰骋to criss-cross縱橫馳騁
Exercise 1 of 3

Compound Meaning

What does 驰骋 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 騁

Make sure to emphasize the third tone, which has a falling-rising intonation.

Jason Recommends

Not sure what to learn after 騁?

Jason picks three words from your level and explains why each one is worth your time next. It takes a free account so he knows what you already know.