惯 (guàn) is a Chinese character meaning “to be used to”. It is written from 忄 (heart (left-side form)) and 贯 (to string together; to pass through), side by side, and takes 11 strokes.
Build the character for “habit”
Four steps: break it apart, build it, recall it, use it in a word.
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Structure
忄 + 贯
Left–right structure
Structure from: IDS (cjkvi-ids: ⿰忄贯); makemeahanzi decomposition ⿰忄贯, pictophonetic (semantic 忄, phonetic 贯)
Memory aid
The heart (忄) beside 贯, strung through like coins on a cord — something done so often it runs right through your heart becomes a habit. This is a memory aid, not the historical origin.
This is a memory aid, not the historical origin.
Stroke order
11 strokes
In real words
- 习惯xí guànhabit; to be used to惯 = guàn
- 惯例guàn lìconvention; usual practice惯 = guàn
Go deeper
All readings
accustomed to; habit
to be used to; habitual; customary; to spoil (a child)
习以为常，积久成性；也指纵容、娇纵（如「惯孩子」）。 — studyhanzi 编写
Words with this reading
- 习惯xí guànhabit; to be used to惯 = guàn
- 惯例guàn lìconvention; usual practice惯 = guàn
Sound component
贯 family exact
Stroke data: hanzi-writer-data (Arphic Public License) · licenses & attributions
Questions people ask about this character
What does 惯 mean?
惯 (guàn) means to be used to; habitual; customary; to spoil (a child).
How do you pronounce 惯?
It is pronounced guàn.
What parts is 惯 made of?
忄 (heart (left-side form)) and 贯 (to string together; to pass through), side by side. The recorded source is: IDS (cjkvi-ids: ⿰忄贯); makemeahanzi decomposition ⿰忄贯, pictophonetic (semantic 忄, phonetic 贯). Components are the building blocks of the shape; the radical used for dictionary lookup is a separate thing.
How many strokes does 惯 have?
11. You can watch the stroke order on this page, or trace it yourself.
What is the radical of 惯?
忄. 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 惯?
Common ones are 习惯 and 惯例. The reading of 惯 is not the same in every word, so each word on this page shows which reading applies.