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法 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
lawHSK 4, j, 8 strokes, radical 氵, rank #650, Medium
methodHSK 4, j, 8 strokes, radical 氵, rank #650, Medium
wayHSK 4, j, 8 strokes, radical 氵, rank #650, Medium
Buddhist teachingHSK 4, j, 8 strokes, radical 氵, rank #650, Medium
LegalistHSK 4, j, 8 strokes, radical 氵, rank #650, Medium
old variant of 法[fǎ]HSK 4, j, 8 strokes, radical 氵, rank #650, Medium
FranceHSK 4, j, 8 strokes, radical 氵, rank #650, Medium
FrenchHSK 4, j, 8 strokes, radical 氵, rank #650, Medium
abbr. for 法國HSK 4, j, 8 strokes, radical 氵, rank #650, Medium
>法国[Fǎ guó]HSK 4, j, 8 strokes, radical 氵, rank #650, Medium
Taiwan pr. [Fà]HSK 4, j, 8 strokes, radical 氵, rank #650, Medium
law, rule, statute; method, way; FrenchHSK 4, j, 8 strokes, radical 氵, rank #650, Medium
abbr. for 法國|法国[Fa3 guo2]HSK 4, unknown, 8 strokes, radical 氵, rank #650, Medium
Taiwan pr. [Fa4]HSK 4, unknown, 8 strokes, radical 氵, rank #650, Medium
(fa3) T3
  1. 1law
  2. 2method
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026
(㳒)(fa3)

The character 法 (fǎ) primarily means 'law' or 'method.' It is commonly used in legal contexts, as well as to refer to ways or methods of doing things. Additionally, it can denote the teachings of Buddhism or refer to France in certain contexts.

Strokes8RadicalFrequency#650DifficultyMedium
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, 法 (fǎ) emphasizes the importance of law and order, reflecting the historical significance of Confucian principles in governance and society. The concept of law is deeply rooted in traditional Chinese values, where harmony and social order are paramount.

Memory Tip

Imagine a '法' (fǎ) as a 'path' that represents the law or methods of life. The left side looks like an upright figure holding a book, symbolizing the authority of law, while the right side resembles a person making decisions, emphasizing the method or way one should follow.

Meanings of 法

(fa3)
1law
2method
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 法

Simplified
Traditional
8Strokes
Radical
简称abbreviation (abbr.)Part of Speech
#650Frequency Rank
HSK 3.0L4IntermediateTOCFLL4HSKKL2CEFRB1

Podcast: 法

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AI Study Notes for 法

Quick Contrast

法 (fǎ, law/method) vs 规 (guī, rule) — use 法 when referring to laws or methods, while 规 emphasizes rules or regulations.

Memory Mnemonic

Imagine a '法' (fǎ) as a 'path' that represents the law or methods of life. The left side looks like an upright figure holding a book, symbolizing the authority of law, while the right side resembles a person making decisions, emphasizing the method or way one should follow.

Usage Notes

Learners often confuse 法 (fǎ) with other similar-sounding words, so be cautious with pronunciation. It is used in both formal and informal contexts, especially in legal language. Common collocations include 法律 (fǎlǜ - law), 方法 (fāngfǎ - method), and 司法 (sīfǎ - judiciary).

HSK Study Tips

Although 法 (fǎ) is not included in the official HSK levels, it connects well with other legal and educational vocabulary. Focus on understanding its various meanings and how it forms compound words, which are commonly used in conversations.

Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, 法 (fǎ) emphasizes the importance of law and order, reflecting the historical significance of Confucian principles in governance and society. The concept of law is deeply rooted in traditional Chinese values, where harmony and social order are paramount.

Common Mistakes

Learners often mix up 法 (fǎ) with similar-sounding characters like 罢 (bà). For example, saying '法律' (fǎlǜ) but mispronouncing it as 'bàlǜ' is incorrect; ensure the proper initial consonant is used.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 法

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Etymology of 法

Formation TypeIdeographic 指事
六书 ClassificationIdeograph (指事字)~2% of characters
Explanation

Phonosemantic compound. 氵 represents the meaning and 去 represents the sound. The water (氵) component is used to represent the way water follows a defined path e.g. in rivers.

Memory Hint

The course 去 followed by a stream 氵

Learn more about Ideograph (指事字) characters
Exercise 1 of 1

Character Formation Type

What type of character formation is 法?

Decomposition of 法

IDS Structure⿰氵去
Full Character
=
shui3
left
qu4
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 法?

Write 法

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

Write correctly 3 times to earn XP

Grammar Patterns of 法

Exercise 1 of 4

Complete the Sentence

他会说英语、____语什么的。

He can speak English, French, and so on.

Common Confusions with 法

vs

Similar pronunciation and shape, but different meanings.

Exercise 1 of 1

Spot the Difference

Which character means "law"?

or

Usage Notes for 法

Misinterpretation of 法Common Error

法 can refer to both 'law' and 'method', leading to confusion in legal versus procedural contexts.

1

在法律上,法是必需的。

In legal terms, law is essential.

2

他使用了新的法来解决问题。

He used a new method to solve the problem.

Exercise 1 of 1

Fill in the Blank

在____律上,法是必需的。

In legal terms, law is essential.

Example Sentences for 法 (10)

Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
我和诺特曼讨论了这个想法的可行性。

wǒ hé nuò tè màn tǎo lùn le zhè gè xiǎng fǎ de kě háng xìng。

Knotman and I discussed the practicability of the idea.
2
他对于法国、德国和荷兰的文学了如指掌。

tā duì yú fǎ guó、 、 dé guó hé hé lán de wén xué le rú zhǐ。

He was well acquainted with the literature of France, Germany and Holland.
3
该国内地的很多地区无法即时报告艾滋病病例。

gāi guó nèi dì de hěn duō dì qū wú fǎ jí shí bào gào ài zī bìng bìng lì。

Many areas in the country'sinterior are unable to report Aids cases immediately.
4
英国的亚裔年轻人通常被吸引到医学、法律及工程专业。

yīng guó de yà yì nián qīng rén tōng cháng bèi xī yǐn dào yī xué、 、 fǎ lǜ jí gōng chéng zhuān。

Traditionally young Asians in Britain have gravitated towards medicine, law and engineering.
5
这样的法规可以保护消费者免受有害或者危险药品的威胁。

zhè yàng de fǎ guī kě yǐ bǎo hù xiāo fèi zhě miǎn shòu yǒu hài huò zhě wēi xiǎn yào pǐn de wēi xié。

Such laws could protect the consumer from harmful or dangerous remedies.
6
佛罗里达州坦帕市法庭判决5名官员的毒品交易罪名成立。

fó luó lǐ dá zhōu tǎn pà shì fǎ tíng pàn jué5 5 míng guān yuán de dú pǐn jiāo yì zuì míng chéng。

A court at Tampa, Florida has convicted five officials on drugs charges.
7
家庭疗法指导我们彼此之间的沟通交流。

jiā tíng liáo fǎ zhǐ dǎo wǒ mén bǐ cǐ zhī jiān de gōu tōng jiāo liú。

Family therapy showed us how to communicate with each other.
8
用这种方法控制你的狗不起作用。

yòng zhè zhǒng fāng fǎ kòng zhì nǐ de gǒu bù qǐ zuò yòng。

This is an ineffective method of controlling your dog.
9
我没办法给你提供细节,因为我并不了解任何细节。

wǒ méi bàn fǎ gěi nǐ tí gōng xì jié, , yīn wéi wǒ bìng bù le jiě rèn hé xì。

I can't give you details because I don't actually have any details.
10
你是在干涉人们的宗教信仰,他们并不喜欢你的做法。

nǐ shì zài gān shè rén mén de zōng jiào xìn yǎng, , tā mén bìng bù xǐ huān nǐ de zuò。

You are messing with people's religion and they don't like that.

Cultural Notes for 法

💡Did you know?

The character 法 has evolved over centuries, representing not just law, but also methods and techniques across various fields, including philosophy and governance. Its origin reflects a historical emphasis on order and structure in Chinese society.

🏮Cultural insight

In Chinese culture, 法 (fǎ) emphasizes the importance of law and order, reflecting the historical significance of Confucian principles in governance and society. The concept of law is deeply rooted in traditional Chinese values, where harmony and social order are paramount.

📜Proverb

In Chinese culture, there’s a saying: '无规矩不成方圆', meaning 'Without rules, nothing can be accomplished.' This highlights the importance of law and order, which is encapsulated in the character 法.

Word Family of 法

Compounds1
Words Containing This Character20
无法wúfǎunable無法
办法bànfǎmeans辦法
方法fāngfǎmethod
law
法律law
想法xiǎngfǎopinion
法官fǎguānjudge
法国France法國
法庭fǎtíngcourt of law
看法kànfǎview
法院fǎyuàncourt
说法shuōfǎwording說法
非法fēifǎillegal
执法zhífǎto enforce a law執法
合法héfǎlawful
违法wéifǎillegal違法
做法zuòfǎrecipe
魔法magic
依法yīfǎlegal (proceedings)
法规fǎguīlegislation法規
Exercise 1 of 4

Compound Meaning

What does 无法 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 法

法 (fǎ) generally means 'law' or 'method', while 法国 (Fàguó) specifically refers to France. The first character, 法, is used in various contexts, while the second term is a proper noun indicating the country.