弘 (hóng) · grand; great; vast

Meanings

1 grand; great; vast
2 to promote; to enlarge

Characters

弘

hóng

grand; great; to promote

Examples

HSK 7-9

弘扬中国传统文化很重要。

Hóngyáng Zhōngguó chuántǒng wénhuà hěn zhòngyào.

It is important to promote Chinese traditional culture.

HSK 7-9

他的志向很弘大。

Tā de zhìxiàng hěn hóngdà.

His ambitions are very grand.

Tips

usage

弘 is most commonly seen in 弘扬 ('to promote/carry forward'). It also appears in names, such as the Qing emperor 弘历 (the Qianlong Emperor).

Components

radical

弓 gōng

bow (radical)

Left bow radical (Kangxi #57) - three-stroke pictograph of a strung archery bow. 弘 originally named the twang or echo of a bowstring released - a sound that carries far. From this resonant origin came 'grand, great, vast,' and the verb 'to promulgate' (弘扬). Family: 强, 张, 弹.

phonetic

厶 sī

private; cocoon (phonetic)

Right phonetic 厶 - supplies a related sound (Old Chinese sī/hóng shared an onset that drifted apart). Originally the cocoon-shape that became 私 'private' when 禾 'grain' was added. Two strokes, a small swirl. The same shape appears in 私, 厷, and stylistically in 公, 去 - only 弘 keeps it as a true phonetic.