讽 (fěng) - Meaning, Stroke Order & Audio

讽

fěng[feng3]Tone 3

to satirize, to mock, to recite

HSK 7

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諷

Guru Deep Dive

English · to satirize, to mock, to recite

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Topology:Left-right

Strokes:6

Writing Balance Rule: The left radical (讠) takes up about one-third of the width, leaving the right component (风) two-thirds of the space, keeping both parts vertically balanced.

Simplification Logic: The traditional component 言 is simplified to the standard two-stroke speech radical 讠 on the left.

1. Meaning

to satirize or mock

to recite or chant in a low voiceindirect criticism

VerbFormal / Literary#communication#emotions#literary criticism

Sample Usage

这首诗讽刺了当时的社会现实。
Zhè shǒu shī fěngcì le dāngshí de shèhuì xiànshí.
This poem satirized the social reality of that time.
他喜欢冷嘲热讽别人。
Tā xǐhuān lěngcháorèfěng biérén.
Tā likes to sneer at and satirize others.

2. Sound

/[fɤŋ²¹⁴]/Tone: 214

讽

fěngfeng3

ˇ(214)

=fěng

Build the syllable

Step-by-step blending

feng

Tone mark placement: Tone mark sits on "e" per main-vowel priority (a > e > o; in -iu/-ui the mark takes the second vowel).

Initial Consonant

Type: Labiodental Fricative

Sounds like: f sound as in 'fun'

Unaspirated

Airflow Tactile Test: Continuous smooth friction.

Tongue & Mouth Position: Upper teeth touch the lower lip.

Final Rhyme

eng

Vowel Group: -e vowel group

Sounds like: -eng rhymes with 'ung' in sung

Mouth Shape Guide: Pronounce as standalone vowel 'uhng'.

Common Learner Trap: Keep vowel quality steady across all 4 tone contours.

Tone

T3 (214)

2 → 1 → 4 (214)

3rd Tone (Low-Dipping)

Tone Pitch & Cadence: Tone 3 dips low like a skeptical 'Really?', starting mid, dropping down, and rising back up.

Sandhi: When followed by another Tone 3, it changes to Tone 2 (rising 35).

👂

Listening trap: Confusing the initial 'f-' with 'h-' or confusing Tone 3 with Tone 4.

👋

Physical Tone Gesture: Start at a middle pitch, dip down smoothly to the lowest register in your chest, and rise back up to mid-high, tracing a checkmark in the air with your hand.

3. Writing

Topology: Left-right · Strokes: 6 strokes

Writing Balance Rule: The left radical (讠) takes up about one-third of the width, leaving the right component (风) two-thirds of the space, keeping both parts vertically balanced.

Simplification Logic: The traditional component 言 is simplified to the standard two-stroke speech radical 讠 on the left.

4. Components

Radical 讠 · Speech Radical (Related to words, speech, or language)

Semantic Clue (形旁): 讠 (Indicates that the meaning relates to speech, words, or verbal expression.)

Phonetic Clue (声旁): 风 (original sound: fēng)

Words (讠) blowing around like the wind (风) become rumors, mockery, or satire that floats through the air.

讠 Speech radical (left)
风 Wind component providing phonetic hint (right)

Phonetic Family (形声字家族)

5· Phonetic Root: 风 (fēng)

5. History

Liushu category: Phono-semantic (形声)

Origin: Combined from the speech signifier (讠) and the phonetic/semantic element representing wind or movement (风), originally implying speaking with a hidden current or whispering wind behind someone's back.

Semantic Evolution: Shifted from chanting or humming poetry in ancient times to making indirect remarks, mocking, and finally modern satire.

In classical Chinese, it also meant to admonish superiors indirectly through poetry or song.

6. Sinosphere

🇻🇳

Sino-Vietnamese

phúng

The Chinese Tone 3 low dipping corresponds roughly to a Vietnamese hỏi or ngã tone contour.

🇯🇵

Kanji (Japanese)

On: フウ (fū) / フ (fu) / Kun: そし.る (soshiru)

🇰🇷

Hanja (Korean)

풍

Sound Shift Bridge: Shared root pronunciation with sound-alike components in East Asian borrowing.

7. Memory

Vivid Mnemonic Story

You use your **speech** (讠) to send sharp, mocking words blowing through the air like a cold **wind** (**风**), leaving everyone feeling satirized.

Phonetic Family (形声字家族)

风

fēngwindPhonetic Core (声旁)

疯

fēnginsane, mad, wild+ 疒 (sickness)

枫

fēngmaple (genus Acer)+ 木 (tree)

砜

fēngsulfone+ 石 (stone)

Explore this family →

Lookalikes & Traps (形近字)

凤(fèng)

鳳/凤 means phoenix and has an enclosure frame (几) instead of the speech radical (讠).

8. Mastery

Active Recall Challenge

这部小说辛辣地[___]了当时的官场腐败。

Clue: fěng

Common Learner Pitfall

Confusing the tone with Tone 4 (fèng), which is the common reading in Taiwan for certain compound words like 讽刺.

Memory Prompts

Recognition: When you see 讽 with a speech radical and wind phonetic, what is its primary meaning and reading?

Production: How do you write the character for 'to satirize' (fěng) combining speech and wind?

讽fěngto satirize, to mock, to recite

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