弧 (hú) is a Chinese character meaning “arc”. It is written from 弓 (bow) and 瓜 (melon; gourd (a vine with fruit hanging from it)), side by side, and takes 8 strokes.
Build the character for “arc”
Four steps: break it apart, build it, recall it, use it in a word.
StartLearn this character
Structure
弓 + 瓜
Left–right structure
Structure from: 说文解字·弓部（弧，木弓也。从弓瓜聲）；现代字形以 hanzi-writer-data 2.0.1 核验：8 画 = 弓 3 画 + 瓜 5 画
Memory aid
A bow (弓) is bent; a melon (瓜) is round. Both parts really are in this character, and both are curved — together they give you an arc.
This is a memory aid, not the historical origin.
Stroke order
8 strokes
In real words
- 弧形hú xíngarc shape; curved shape弧 = hú
- 弧线hú xiànarc; a curved line弧 = hú
Go deeper
All readings
arc
arc; a segment of a circle or curve; curved, bow-shaped
圆周上的一段；泛指像弓一样弯曲的形状。 — studyhanzi 编写
Words with this reading
- 弧形hú xíngarc shape; curved shape弧 = hú
- 弧线hú xiànarc; a curved line弧 = hú
Sound component
瓜 family diverged
Stroke data: hanzi-writer-data (Arphic Public License) · licenses & attributions
Questions people ask about this character
What does 弧 mean?
弧 (hú) means arc; a segment of a circle or curve; curved, bow-shaped.
How do you pronounce 弧?
It is pronounced hú.
What parts is 弧 made of?
弓 (bow) and 瓜 (melon; gourd (a vine with fruit hanging from it)), side by side. The recorded source is: 说文解字·弓部（弧，木弓也。从弓瓜聲）；现代字形以 hanzi-writer-data 2.0.1 核验：8 画 = 弓 3 画 + 瓜 5 画. Components are the building blocks of the shape; the radical used for dictionary lookup is a separate thing.
How many strokes does 弧 have?
8. You can watch the stroke order on this page, or trace it yourself.
What is the radical of 弧?
弓. 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 弧?
Common ones are 弧形 and 弧线. The reading of 弧 is not the same in every word, so each word on this page shows which reading applies.