HSK 6, a, 11 strokes, radical 黄, rank #2462, Medium
黄
huáng
yellow
HSK 6, a, 11 strokes, radical 黄, rank #2462, Medium
黄
huáng
pornographic
HSK 6, a, 11 strokes, radical 黄, rank #2462, Medium
黄
huáng
to fall through
HSK 6, a, 11 strokes, radical 黄, rank #2462, Medium
黄
huáng
yellow; surname
HSK 6, a, 11 strokes, radical 黄, rank #2462, Medium
huáng(Huang2) T2
1yellow
2pornographic
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March 24, 2026
黄(黃)huáng(Huang2)
The character 黄 (huáng) primarily means 'yellow,' a color often associated with brightness and warmth. It can also refer to the surname Huang, which is common in Chinese-speaking regions. Additionally, it carries informal meanings related to pornography, so context is crucial for understanding its use.
Strokes11Radical黄Frequency#2462DifficultyMedium
Cultural Note
The color yellow holds significant cultural importance in China, symbolizing royalty and power during imperial times. The Yellow River is often referred to as the cradle of Chinese civilization, emphasizing its historical significance.
Memory Tip
Imagine a bright yellow sun (黄) shining down on a field of ripe corn, which is also yellow. The character's shape can remind you of the sun's rays, and 'huáng' sounds like 'hang,' as in 'hang out under the sunny sky'.
Meanings of 黄
huáng(Huang2)
1yellow
2pornographic
Exercise 1 of 3
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About 黄
黄Simplified
黃Traditional
11Strokes
黄Radical
名形词xíngróngcíadj-noun (adj.-n.)Part of Speech
#2462Frequency Rank
HSK 3.0L6ElementaryTOCFLL2YCTL3HSKKL1CEFRA1
Podcast: 黄
Podcast: 黄
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AI Study Notes for 黄
Quick Contrast
黄 (huáng, yellow) vs 橙 (chéng, orange) — use 黄 when referring specifically to the color yellow, while 橙 is for orange.
Memory Mnemonic
Imagine a bright yellow sun (黄) shining down on a field of ripe corn, which is also yellow. The character's shape can remind you of the sun's rays, and 'huáng' sounds like 'hang,' as in 'hang out under the sunny sky'.
Usage Notes
Be cautious with the informal meaning related to pornography, as using it in the wrong context can lead to misunderstandings. In formal settings, stick to its color or surname meanings. Common collocations include 黄河 (Huáng Hé, Yellow River) and 黄瓜 (huángguā, cucumber).
HSK Study Tips
While 黄 is not specifically listed in HSK levels, it is useful for learners to recognize it due to its prevalence in common phrases. Focus on memorizing the color and its applications in names and expressions.
Cultural Note
The color yellow holds significant cultural importance in China, symbolizing royalty and power during imperial times. The Yellow River is often referred to as the cradle of Chinese civilization, emphasizing its historical significance.
Common Mistakes
Learners often confuse 黄 with other color characters like 红 (red) or 蓝 (blue). For instance, saying '我有一个黄苹果' (I have a yellow apple) is correct, but saying '我有一个红黄苹果' (I have a red yellow apple) can confuse the intended colors.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 黄
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六书 ClassificationPictograph (象形字)~4% of characters
Explanation
Simplified form of 黃. Pictograph of a person with a person with a large belly, representing someone deformed. Based on the original meaning "physically impaired". Later meaning shifted to "yellow; sallow", a skin color associated with illness.
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Grammar Patterns of 黄
黄 functions as an adjective. In Chinese it behaves like a stative verb: place it directly after the subject without 是 (我很高，not 我是高). Use 不 to negate (不高) and pair it with 很 in plain affirmative sentences. It carries 5 related meanings, each with its own usage notes below. The example sentences below show it in action, with practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) on every line.
The cables are all bright yellow to prevent you tripping over them.
8
她那蜡黄的皮肤紧紧地包着脸上的骨头。
tā nà là huáng de pí fū jǐn jǐn dì bāo zháo liǎn shàng de gǔ tóu。
Her sallow skin was drawn tightly across the bones of her face.
9
我敢肯定那根黄线接那个黄色插口。
wǒ gǎn kěn dìng nà gēn huáng xiàn jiē nà gè huáng sè chā kǒu。
I'm sure that yellow lead matched up to that yellow socket.
10
那是下午近黄昏的时候。
nà shì xià wǔ jìn huáng hūn de shí hòu。
It was late in the afternoon.
Cultural Notes for 黄
💡Did you know?
在中国文化中，黄色被视为皇帝的颜色，象征着权力和尊贵。
🏮Cultural insight
The color yellow holds significant cultural importance in China, symbolizing royalty and power during imperial times. The Yellow River is often referred to as the cradle of Chinese civilization, emphasizing its historical significance.
Word Family of 黄
Compounds21
横heng2horizontal
簧huang2reed; lock, metal spring
磺huang2sulphur; brimstone
潢huang2pond, lake
璜huang2a jade pendant
橫heng2horizontal, across; unreasonable, harsh
蟥huang2leech
熿
獚
癀huang2jaundice
觵
鐄
僙
嫹
廣guang3broad, vast, wide; building, house
彉
撗
曂
穔
趪
鱑
Words Containing This Character20
黄huángyellow黃
黄金huángjīngold黃金
黄色huángsèyellow (color)黃色
黄油butter黃油
黄河huánghéYellow River or Huang He黃河
黄瓜huángguācucumber黃瓜
黄昏huánghūndusk黃昏
黄蜂wasp黃蜂
蛋黄egg yolk蛋黃
黄酱yellow soybean paste (fermented and salted)黃醬
黄泉the Yellow Springs黃泉
黄牌(sports) yellow card黃牌
黄豆soybean黃豆
黄牛ox黃牛
黄山Mt Huang黃山
黄鼠狼Siberian weasel黃鼠狼
金黄golden金黃
金黄色gold color金黃色
黄金周Golden Week, two 7-day national holiday periods黃金週
大黄rhubarb (botany)大黃
Exercise 1 of 4
Compound Meaning
What does 横 mean?
Frequently Asked Questions about 黄
Yes, 黄 (Huáng) is a common surname in China, ranking among the top 100 surnames. It's pronounced 'Hwang' in some other cultures, but in Mandarin, it's typically pronounced 'Huáng'.
黄 (Huáng) has several meanings: it primarily means 'yellow', but it is also used as a surname. Additionally, it can refer to explicit content in certain contexts. Understanding the context in which it is used is important for proper interpretation.
黄 (Huáng) primarily means 'yellow' in Chinese. It can also refer to the surname Huang or Hwang. Additionally, it may have connotations related to pornography, depending on the context.
You can use 黄 (Huáng) in a sentence to describe color, such as '这是一件黄衣服' (This is a yellow shirt). It can also be used in more complex contexts, such as discussing cultural references or names. Be mindful of its other meanings when using it in conversation.
黄 primarily means 'yellow' but can also refer to a surname or have informal meanings related to pornography.
You might encounter 黄 in phrases like 黄河 (Yellow River) or when describing objects that are yellow.
Yes, Huang is a common surname in Chinese culture.
