含 (hán) is a Chinese character meaning “to hold in the mouth”. It is written from 今 (now; the present) and 口 (mouth), one above the other, and takes 7 strokes.
Build the character for “to contain”
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Structure
今 + 口
Top–bottom structure
Structure from: 现代字形拆分，以 hanzi-writer-data 笔画核验：7 画 = 今 4 画 + 口 3 画；部首取康熙 30 口部；声符角色依据《说文解字》「含，嗛也。从口今聲」，声符一致度只按实测现代读音判定（今 jīn / 含 hán 声母韵母均已分化）
Memory aid
今 (now) sitting on top of 口 (mouth): whatever is in your mouth right now is what you are holding in — 含. Both parts are really in this character.
This is a memory aid, not the historical origin.
Stroke order
7 strokes
In real words
- 包含bāo hánto contain; to include含 = hán
- 含义hán yìmeaning; implication含 = hán
- 含苞hán bāoto be in bud; not yet in bloom含 = hán
Go deeper
All readings
to contain
to hold in the mouth; to contain; to include
东西放在嘴里不吞不吐；引申为里面存有、包括。 — studyhanzi 编写
Words with this reading
- 包含bāo hánto contain; to include含 = hán
- 含义hán yìmeaning; implication含 = hán
- 含苞hán bāoto be in bud; not yet in bloom含 = hán
Stroke data: hanzi-writer-data (Arphic Public License) · licenses & attributions
Questions people ask about this character
What does 含 mean?
含 (hán) means to hold in the mouth; to contain; to include.
How do you pronounce 含?
It is pronounced hán.
What parts is 含 made of?
今 (now; the present) and 口 (mouth), one above the other. The recorded source is: 现代字形拆分，以 hanzi-writer-data 笔画核验：7 画 = 今 4 画 + 口 3 画；部首取康熙 30 口部；声符角色依据《说文解字》「含，嗛也。从口今聲」，声符一致度只按实测现代读音判定（今 jīn / 含 hán 声母韵母均已分化）. Components are the building blocks of the shape; the radical used for dictionary lookup is a separate thing.
How many strokes does 含 have?
7. You can watch the stroke order on this page, or trace it yourself.
What is the radical of 含?
口. The radical is how the character is filed in a dictionary — it is not the whole story of how the character is built.
What words use 含?
Common ones are 包含 and 含义. The reading of 含 is not the same in every word, so each word on this page shows which reading applies.