HanziGuru.獲 · huò
獲
huò[huo4]Tone 4

to catch, obtain, win

HSK 4
Guru Deep Dive

English · to catch, obtain, win

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Topology:Left-right
Strokes:10
Writing Balance Rule: The left radical (犭) should occupy about one-third of the width, leaving the right side (获) balanced and spacious.
Simplification Logic: Simplified from 獲 by replacing the complex phonetic right-hand side with 蒦.

to get, obtain, or capture

to win an award or prizeto reap benefits or harvest
VerbFormal / Literary (commonly found in modern compound words)Bound morpheme#achievement#action#acquisition
Sample Usage
  • 获得成功
    huòdé chénggōng
    to achieve success
  • 丰收
    fēngshōu
    rich harvest (using a related compound)
/[xwɔ⁵¹]/Tone: 51
獲
huòhuo4
++
`(51)
=huò
Initial Consonant
h
Type: Velar Fricative
Sounds like: h sound like in 'hat'
Unaspirated
Airflow Tactile Test: Gentle throat friction (like fogging glasses on a cold day).
Tongue & Mouth Position: Back of the tongue approaches the soft palate with friction while air escapes.
Final Rhyme
uo
Vowel Group: -o vowel group
Sounds like: rhymes with war or wo in woe
Mouth Shape Guide: Pronounce as standalone vowel 'waw'.
Common Learner Trap: Keep vowel quality steady across all 4 tone contours.
Tone
T4 (51)
4th Tone (High-Falling)
Tone Pitch & Cadence: Tone 4 starts high and plunges instantly, identical to saying 'No!' or 'Stop!' in English.
👂
Listening trap: Often confused with similar 4th tone syllables starting with 'h-', ensure you hit the rounded labial glide 'uo' clearly rather than a pure 'o' or 'u'.
👋
Physical Tone Gesture: A decisive karate chop downward from high to low, reflecting a sudden capture or grab.

Topology: Left-right · Strokes: 10 strokes

Writing Balance Rule: The left radical (犭) should occupy about one-third of the width, leaving the right side (获) balanced and spacious.

Simplification Logic: Simplified from 獲 by replacing the complex phonetic right-hand side with 蒦.

Radical 犭 · Animal Radical / Dog Radical (animals, beasts, hunting)

Semantic Clue (形旁): 犭 (Indicates hunting, capturing wild animals or game.)

Phonetic Clue (声旁): 蒦 (original sound: huò)

An animal hound on the left (犭) tracks down and corners a target on the right, signifying a successful capture or harvest.

  • 犭 Dog / animal radical
  • 艹 Grass top
  • 又 Hand grabbing
Liushu category: Phono-semantic (形声)

Origin: Originally combined the animal tracker radical with elements of capturing or reaping vegetation and game with one's hand.

Semantic Evolution: Shifted from the literal hunting of wild beasts to any form of catching, acquiring, or winning abstract rewards.

  • In classical texts, it frequently denoted hunting spoils before expanding to general gains.
🇯🇵
Kanji (Japanese)
On: カク (kaku) / Kun: え.る (e.ru)
🇰🇷
Hanja (Korean)
획
Sound Shift Bridge: Mandarin 'huò' corresponds to Japanese On'yomi 'kaku'.
Vivid Mnemonic Story

A hunting dog (犭) runs through the grass (艹) and uses its paw/hand (又) to instantly CATCH and OBTAIN its prey.

Phonetic Family (形声字家族)
获
huòto catch / obtainBase form with animal radical
获
huòreed / rushOften shares phonetic roots in compound forms
Lookalikes & Traps (形近字)
或(huò)
‘或’ means 'or / perhaps' and lacks the animal radical (犭) on the left.
Active Recall Challenge
他通過不懈的努力,終於[___]了比賽的冠軍。
Clue: huò dé
Common Learner Pitfall

Confusing '获' (huò, to obtain) with '或' (huò, or), forgetting that capturing something requires the animal/hound radical (犭).

Memory Prompts
Recognition: When you see '获' combined with '得' (huòdé), what does it mean?
Production: How do you write the character for 'to catch/obtain' using the dog radical and a hand grabbing?

Watch authentic native speakers pronounce and explain this word in real-world YouTube videos.

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