拥 (yōng) is a Chinese character meaning “to hold in the arms”. It is written from 扌 (hand (radical form)) and 用 (to use; to employ), side by side, and takes 8 strokes.
Build the character for “to embrace”
Four steps: break it apart, build it, recall it, use it in a word.
StartLearn this character
Structure
扌 + 用
Left–right structure
Structure from: 简化字总表（拥＝擁，扌表义，用为简化替代偏旁）+ hanzi-writer-data 笔画核验（3 + 5 = 8）
Memory aid
Your arms (扌) are what you use (用) when someone comes close — 拥 is to wrap them up in a hug.
This is a memory aid, not the historical origin.
Stroke order
8 strokes
In real words
- 拥抱yōng bàoto hug; to embrace拥 = yōng
- 拥有yōng yǒuto own; to possess; to have拥 = yōng
- 拥挤yōng jǐcrowded; packed; congested拥 = yōng
Go deeper
All readings
to embrace
to hold in the arms; to embrace; to gather around; to possess
用手臂抱住；聚集在一起围着；也表示领有、具有。 — studyhanzi 编写
Words with this reading
- 拥抱yōng bàoto hug; to embrace拥 = yōng
- 拥有yōng yǒuto own; to possess; to have拥 = yōng
- 拥挤yōng jǐcrowded; packed; congested拥 = yōng
Stroke data: hanzi-writer-data (Arphic Public License) · licenses & attributions
Questions people ask about this character
What does 拥 mean?
拥 (yōng) means to hold in the arms; to embrace; to gather around; to possess.
How do you pronounce 拥?
It is pronounced yōng.
What parts is 拥 made of?
扌 (hand (radical form)) and 用 (to use; to employ), side by side. The recorded source is: 简化字总表（拥＝擁，扌表义，用为简化替代偏旁）+ hanzi-writer-data 笔画核验（3 + 5 = 8）. Components are the building blocks of the shape; the radical used for dictionary lookup is a separate thing.
How many strokes does 拥 have?
8. You can watch the stroke order on this page, or trace it yourself.
What is the radical of 拥?
手. 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 拥?
Common ones are 拥抱 and 拥有. The reading of 拥 is not the same in every word, so each word on this page shows which reading applies.