Writing Balance Rule: The upper portion featuring the hands and top horizontal strokes should be slightly wider and well-balanced over the lower base element (chūn/two hands part). Keep vertical alignment centered.
1. Meaning
to offer respectfully, to present (to a superior or deity)
to revere or esteemto believe in a religionto accept orders or wait upon
Mouth Shape Guide: Pronounce as standalone vowel 'uhng'.
Common Learner Trap: Keep vowel quality steady across all 4 tone contours.
Tone
T4 (51)
5 → 1 (51)
4th Tone (High-Falling)
Tone Pitch & Cadence: Tone 4 drops sharply from high to low, identical to a sharp, authoritative command like 'Stop!' in English.
👂
Listening trap: Do not confuse with the first tone (fēng) or third tone (fěng). Ensure the pitch starts high and drops decisively to the bottom.
👋
Physical Tone Gesture: Tone 4 starts high and plunges sharply downward, matching a stern nod of agreement or a firm downward hand chop.
3. Writing
Topology: Top-bottom · Strokes: 8 strokes
Writing Balance Rule: The upper portion featuring the hands and top horizontal strokes should be slightly wider and well-balanced over the lower base element (chūn/two hands part). Keep vertical alignment centered.
4. Components
Radical大 · Big Radical (big, person)
Semantic Clue (形旁):手 (Hands holding an offering respectfully)
Phonetic Clue (声旁):丰 (original sound: feng)
A person (大人) holding up a lush plant or offering (丰) with both hands, lifting it up to present it respectfully to superiors or deities.
Upper hands / grasping element
丰 Abundant offering or phonetic clue
Phonetic Family (形声字家族)
4· Phonetic Root: 奉 (fèng)
5. History
Liushu category: Phono-semantic (形声)
Origin: Originally depicted in oracle bone scripts as two hands holding up a precious object or an offering toward the heavens or an authority figure.
Semantic Evolution: Shifted from the physical action of holding up an offering with two hands to abstract meanings of reverence, compliance, and accepting official orders.
In imperial China, documents or edicts from the emperor were referred to with terms involving 奉 to show supreme respect.
6. Sinosphere
🇻🇳
Sino-Vietnamese
phụng
The entering/low falling tone in Sino-Vietnamese parallels the Mandarin 4th falling tone.
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Kanji (Japanese)
On: ホウ (hō) / Kun: たてまつ.る (tatematsuru)
🇰🇷
Hanja (Korean)
봉
Sound Shift Bridge: Chinese initial 'f-' often corresponds to Japanese 'h-' or 'b-' in kanji readings (e.g., fěng/hō).
7. Memory
Vivid Mnemonic Story
Picture two eager hands (top) lifting a lush, flowering plant (丰) straight up in the air, offering it with complete reverence and respect (fèng) to a king.
Phonetic Family (形声字家族)
俸
fèngsalary, official stipendAdded person radical (亻) on the left to denote the salary given to officials.
捧
pěngto hold in both handsAdded hand radical (扌) on the left to emphasize the physical gesture of cupping in both hands.
Lookalikes & Traps (形近字)
春(chūn)
Chūn (spring) has the sun (日) at the bottom, whereas fèng has horizontal strokes representing the offering platform.
8. Mastery
Active Recall Challenge
我们应该[___]长辈的教导。
Clue: fèng
Common Learner Pitfall
Confusing the upper hand element with standard radicals like 'tián' or 'chūn' when handwriting, leading to incorrect stroke order.
Memory Prompts
Recognition: When you see the character 奉, what formal verb of respect and offering does it represent?
Production: How do you write the character for 'to offer respectfully / revere' (fèng) with 8 strokes?
Real-World Video Context
Watch authentic native speakers pronounce and explain this word in real-world YouTube videos.
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奉fèngto offer respectfully
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