获 (huò) - Meaning, Stroke Order & Audio

获

huò[huo4]Tone 4

to catch, obtain, win

HSK 4

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獲

Multiple Readings (多音字):

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.

1. Meaning

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)

2. Sound

/[xwɔ⁵¹]/Tone: 51

获

huòhuo4

`(51)

=huò

Initial Consonant

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

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)

5 → 1 (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.

3. Writing

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.

4. Components

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

5. History

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.

6. Sinosphere

🇯🇵

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'.

7. Memory

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.

8. Mastery

Active Recall Challenge

他通过不懈的努力，终于[___]了比赛的冠军。

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?

获huòto catch, obtain, win

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