怀 (huái) is a Chinese character meaning “to keep in one's heart”. It is written from 忄 (heart (left-side form)) and 不 (not), side by side, and takes 7 strokes.
Build the character for “to keep in one's heart”
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Structure
忄 + 不
Left–right structure
Structure from: hanzi-writer-data 笔画核验：忄(3画) + 不(4画) = 怀(7画)，现代字形拆分
Memory aid
An upright heart (忄) that will not (不) let go. Both parts are really written in this character: what you hold in your heart, you refuse to put down.
This is a memory aid, not the historical origin.
Stroke order
7 strokes
In real words
- 怀念huái niànto cherish the memory of; to miss怀 = huái
- 关怀guān huáito show care and concern for怀 = huái
- 怀孕huái yùnto be pregnant怀 = huái
- 怀揣huái chuāito carry in one’s bosom; to cherish (a hope)怀 = huái
Go deeper
All readings
to keep in one's heart
to keep in one's heart; to cherish; the bosom; to carry (a child)
胸前；心里存着某种想法或感情；也指妇女腹中有胎儿。 — studyhanzi 编写
Words with this reading
- 怀念huái niànto cherish the memory of; to miss怀 = huái
- 关怀guān huáito show care and concern for怀 = huái
- 怀孕huái yùnto be pregnant怀 = huái
- 怀揣huái chuāito carry in one’s bosom; to cherish (a hope)怀 = huái
Stroke data: hanzi-writer-data (Arphic Public License) · licenses & attributions
Questions people ask about this character
What does 怀 mean?
怀 (huái) means to keep in one's heart; to cherish; the bosom; to carry (a child).
How do you pronounce 怀?
It is pronounced huái.
What parts is 怀 made of?
忄 (heart (left-side form)) and 不 (not), side by side. The recorded source is: hanzi-writer-data 笔画核验：忄(3画) + 不(4画) = 怀(7画)，现代字形拆分. Components are the building blocks of the shape; the radical used for dictionary lookup is a separate thing.
How many strokes does 怀 have?
7. You can watch the stroke order on this page, or trace it yourself.
What is the radical of 怀?
心. 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 怀?
Common ones are 怀念, 关怀, 怀孕. The reading of 怀 is not the same in every word, so each word on this page shows which reading applies.