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薨 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
薨hōngthe death of a prince; to swarmg, 16 strokes, radical 艹
薨hōngdeath of a princeunknown, 16 strokes, radical 艹
薨hōngswarmingunknown, 16 strokes, radical 艹
hōng(hong1) T1
  1. 1the death of a prince; to swarm
  2. 2death of a prince
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

薨hōng(hong1)

The character 薨 (hōng) refers specifically to the death of a prince or a noble person in historical contexts. It can also imply the concept of swarming, particularly in relation to insects or groups. This term is rarely used in modern conversation and is mostly found in literary or historical texts.

Strokes16Radical艹
Cultural Note

In ancient Chinese society, the death of a prince was a significant event, often marked by elaborate mourning rituals and ceremonies, reflecting the social hierarchy of the time. The term 薨 captures the gravity of such an event.

Memory Tip

Imagine a swarm of bees (the radical 薦, which means fragrant plants) buzzing around a royal crown (symbolizing a prince). The sound of the buzzing reminds you of 'hōng,' representing both the death of royalty and the idea of swarming.

Meanings of 薨

hōng(hong1)
1the death of a prince; to swarm
2death of a prince
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

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About 薨

薨Simplified
16Strokes
艹Radical
语素morpheme (morph.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 薨

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Podcast: 薨

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AI Study Notes for 薨

Usage Notes

薨 (hōng) is typically used in formal contexts and may appear in historical texts or discussions about nobility. Be cautious not to confuse it with similar-sounding words that have different meanings. It is not commonly used in everyday conversation.

HSK Study Tips

As this character is not part of the HSK vocabulary list, learners should focus on understanding its historical significance. Connecting it to terms related to nobility or death can help reinforce its meaning within the context of Chinese history.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 薨 with similar-sounding characters, leading to incorrect meanings. For example, using 薨 when referring to common death (死, sǐ) is incorrect; 薨 should only be used in the context of noble death.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 薨

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Etymology of 薨

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

death

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

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 薨

  1. 1The meaning half死 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half罒 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
  3. 3The giveawaydeath
  4. 4On the record aspictophonetic.

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

Want the full history of 薨? 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 薨?

Decomposition of 薨

IDS Structure⿱艹⿱罒⿱冖死
薨Full Character
=
艹cao3
top
罒wang3
top
冖mi4
top
死si3
bottom
Exercise 1 of 3

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 薨?

How to say the death of a prince; to swarm in Chinese

“the death of a prince; to swarm” in Chinese is薨hōng

The character 薨 (hōng) refers specifically to the death of a prince or a noble person in historical contexts. It can also imply the concept of swarming, particularly in relation to insects or groups. This term is rarely used in modern conversation and is mostly found in literary or historical texts.

When to use 薨

薨 (hōng) is typically used in formal contexts and may appear in historical texts or discussions about nobility. Be cautious not to confuse it with similar-sounding words that have different meanings. It is not commonly used in everyday conversation.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 薨 with similar-sounding characters, leading to incorrect meanings. For example, using 薨 when referring to common death (死, sǐ) is incorrect; 薨 should only be used in the context of noble death.

Write 薨

薨

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

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Word Family of 薨

Words Containing This Character1
薨hōngswarming
Exercise 1 of 1

Compound Meaning

What does 薨 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 薨

No, 薨 is rarely used in everyday language and is primarily found in historical or literary contexts.

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