穷
Character learning workspace

qióng · poor, destitute

Master the form, understand its parts, and learn how it behaves in real Chinese.

HSK 2.0 · Level 4HSK 3.0 · Level 5Frequency #4355
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Learn every stroke in 穷

Replay the complete order, pause on difficult movements, inspect one stroke at a time, then write it yourself with live correction.

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Stroke graphics: Make Me a Hanzi / Arphic Public License
Step-by-step explorer

See how 穷 is constructed

Switch between the accumulated form and the isolated movement of each stroke.

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Writing notes

Shape and proportion

7Total strokes

Count each continuous pen movement once, including turns and hooks.

Top-bottomCharacter structure

Keep the upper section balanced above the lower section.

穴Key radical

Use the highlighted radical in the animation as a visual anchor for remembering the form.

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Download a 穷 writing sheet

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Includes the stroke sequence, progressive tracing, and blank writing squares. Generated locally in your browser.

Vocabulary in context

Common words with 穷

Open a word for its full breakdown, or listen before reading the meaning.

qióngWords pronounced qióng
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Example sentences

Notice where 穷 sits in each complete thought.

Pín qióng de bú shì yōng yǒu tài shǎo de rén, ér shì xiǎng yào tài duō de rén.贫穷的不是拥有太少的人,而是想要太多的人。

Poor is not the one who has too little, but the one who wants too much.

Source: Tatoeba #334183 · CC BY 2.0 FR
Nà shì yí gè gěi wǒ men dài lái wú qióng lè qù de chuán qí xìng de yǎn chū.那是一个给我们带来无穷乐趣的传奇性的演出。

It was a fabulous show which brought us an endless delight.

Source: Tatoeba #799191 · CC BY 2.0 FR
Tā men dōu bù qióng.他们都不穷。

All of them are not poor.

Source: Tatoeba #5967294 · CC BY 2.0 FR
Tā men bù dōu shì qióng rén.他们不都是穷人。

They are not all poor.

Source: Tatoeba #784398 · CC BY 2.0 FR
Wǒ shòu gòu le nǐ de fǎn kē xué pín qióng.我受够了你的反科学贫穷。

I've had enough of your anti-science poverty.

Source: Tatoeba #10789641 · CC BY 2.0 FR
Wǒ gèng yuàn yì pín qióng ér bú shì fù yù.我更愿意贫穷而不是富裕。

I prefer being poor to being rich.

Source: Tatoeba #1366060 · CC BY 2.0 FR
Turn reference into recall

How to study 穷 in context

  1. Say qióng, then recall the core meaning: poor, destitute.
  2. Write all 7 strokes while keeping the top-bottom balanced.
  3. Use it in 层出不穷 (céng chū bù qióng), meaning “more and more emerge”.
  4. Read the complete sentence aloud once, then cover the translation and explain how 穷 works in that context.

Definitions and traditional forms are compiled from Make Me a Hanzi, HSK curriculum data, and CC-CEDICT. Sourced example sentences link to Tatoeba; editorial examples are labeled separately. Review data sources and licenses.