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March 24, 2026
贺(賀)hè(He4)
The character 贺 (hè) primarily means 'to congratulate' or 'to send a present.' It is often used in contexts of celebration, such as weddings or birthdays, and can also refer to expressing good wishes during significant life events. Additionally, 贺 is a common Chinese surname, He.
Strokes9Radical贝Frequency#10093DifficultyHard
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, giving congratulations is an essential part of social interactions, especially during festivals like the Spring Festival or personal milestones like graduations and weddings. The tradition of sending 贺卡 (greeting cards) is also popular.
Memory Tip
Imagine a big celebration where everyone is wearing hats (the character 贺 has a 'hat' radical on top) while they congratulate each other. The sound 'hè' rhymes with 'hat,' making it easier to remember that this word is all about celebrating and giving congratulations.
Meanings of 贺
hè(He4)
1to congratulate
2to congratulate; to send a present
Exercise 1 of 2
Listen & Choose the Meaning
Choose the correct answer:
About 贺
贺Simplified
賀Traditional
9Strokes
贝Radical
人名míngcíproper noun (pr.n.)Part of Speech
#10093Frequency Rank
Podcast: 贺
Podcast: 贺
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AI Study Notes for 贺
Quick Contrast
祝 (zhù) — use 贺 when emphasizing congratulations or gifts, while 祝 is more about wishing well.
Memory Mnemonic
Imagine a big celebration where everyone is wearing hats (the character 贺 has a 'hat' radical on top) while they congratulate each other. The sound 'hè' rhymes with 'hat,' making it easier to remember that this word is all about celebrating and giving congratulations.
Usage Notes
When using 贺 to congratulate someone, it's common to pair it with other words, such as 贺喜 (hè xǐ, to congratulate) or 贺卡 (hè kǎ, greeting card). Be cautious with the tone, as saying hè with a flat tone can confuse it with other characters. This word is generally used in informal and formal contexts.
HSK Study Tips
Although 贺 is not officially listed in HSK levels, it connects with HSK vocabulary related to celebrations and greetings. Students should focus on its use in congratulatory phrases and practice writing it to reinforce memory.
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, giving congratulations is an essential part of social interactions, especially during festivals like the Spring Festival or personal milestones like graduations and weddings. The tradition of sending 贺卡 (greeting cards) is also popular.
Common Mistakes
Learners often confuse 贺 (hè) with similar-sounding characters. For example, using 'he' as in '合' (hé, to combine) instead of 'hè' can lead to misunderstandings. Always practice the tones to distinguish these characters accurately.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 贺
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Grammar Patterns of 贺
贺 functions as a noun — it names a person, place, thing, or concept. Place it as a subject before the verb (主+谓) or as an object after the verb (谓+宾). Most Chinese nouns require a measure word between the number and the noun (e.g. 一个/三本). It carries 3 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.
Exercise 1 of 4
Complete the Sentence
你回来真是太好了，就等着向你道____呢！
It's great to have you back. Congratulations are surely in order!
Hunt added his congratulations, saying "Nigel has made a cracking job of it".
7
富兰克林一回来，就收到了好几十封贺电和贺信。
fù lán kè lín yī huí lái， ， jiù shōu dào le hǎo jī shí fēng hè diàn hé hè。
Scores of congratulatory telegrams and letters greeted Franklin on his return.
8
我刚把她的生日贺卡拿去邮局寄.
wǒ gāng bǎ tā de shēng rì hè kǎ ná qù yóu jú jì.
I've just taken her birthday card down to the post.
9
我们寄给她一张生日贺卡.
wǒ mén jì gěi tā yī zhāng shēng rì hè kǎ.
We sent her a card with birthday greetings.
10
他仍然不时给她写写信，每年寄张圣诞贺卡。
tā réng rán bù shí gěi tā xiě xiě xìn， ， měi nián jì zhāng shèng dàn hè。
He still writes to her sometimes and sends her a Christmas card every year.
Cultural Notes for 贺
🏮Cultural insight
In Chinese culture, giving congratulations is an essential part of social interactions, especially during festivals like the Spring Festival or personal milestones like graduations and weddings. The tradition of sending 贺卡 (greeting cards) is also popular.
Word Family of 贺
Words Containing This Character20
祝贺zhùhèto congratulate祝賀
贺hèto congratulate賀
贺卡hèkǎgreeting card賀卡
贺岁to pay a New Year's visit賀歲
庆贺qìnghèto congratulate慶賀
贺电hèdiàncongratulatory telegram賀電
贺龙He Long (1896-1969), important communist military leader, died from persecution during the Cultural Revolution賀龍
贺礼congratulatory gift賀禮
恭贺to express good wishes恭賀
贺词message of congratulation賀詞
道贺to congratulate道賀
可喜可贺gratifying可喜可賀
贺兰山Helan Mountains, lying across part of the border between Ningxia and Inner Mongolia賀蘭山
贺年to pay a New Year's visit賀年
贺喜to congratulate賀喜
贺兰Helan county in Yinchuan 銀川|银川[Yínchuān], Ningxia賀蘭
贺州Hezhou prefecture-level city in Guangxi賀州
贺年卡New Year greeting card賀年卡
贺子珍He Zizhen (1910-1984), Mao Zedong's third wife賀子珍
李贺Li He (790-816), Tang poet and author of 南园十三首李賀
Exercise 1 of 4
Compound Meaning
What does 祝贺 mean?
Frequently Asked Questions about 贺
Some common phrases include 贺年卡 (hè nián kǎ) which means 'New Year greeting card' and 贺词 (hè cí) meaning 'congratulatory speech'. These phrases are often used in festive contexts.
Yes, 贺 (hè) is a relatively common surname in China. It is shared by many people and can be found in various regions across the country.
You can use 贺 (hè) in a sentence like '我想祝贺你!' which translates to 'I want to congratulate you!'. It’s often used during celebrations such as birthdays or weddings.
贺 (hè) means 'to congratulate' in Chinese. It can also be used as a surname. In various contexts, it can refer to sending congratulations or gifts on special occasions.
You can say '我祝贺你' (Wǒ zhùhè nǐ), which means 'I congratulate you.'
No, 贺 can be used in both formal and informal contexts, but it's most common during celebratory events.
Common phrases include 贺喜 (hè xǐ, to congratulate) or 贺年 (hè nián, to wish someone a happy New Year).
