红 (hóng) is a Chinese character meaning “red”. It is written from 纟 (silk; thread (left-side form)) and 工 (work), side by side, and takes 6 strokes.
Build the character for “red”
Four steps: break it apart, build it, recall it, use it in a word.
StartLearn this character
Structure
纟 + 工
Left–right structure
Structure from: 现代字形拆分，以 hanzi-writer-data 笔画核验：6 画 = 纟 3 画 + 工 3 画；部首取康熙 120 糸部；声符判断只依据实测现代读音（工 gōng / 红 hóng：韵母同为 -ong，声母 g→h，声调 1→2）
Memory aid
Silk thread (纟) that has been put to work (工) in the dye vat comes out red. Both parts really are in this character.
This is a memory aid, not the historical origin.
Stroke order
6 strokes
In real words
- 红色hóng sèred; the colour red红 = hóng
- 朱红zhū hóngvermilion; bright red红 = hóng
- 红枣hóng zǎored date; dried jujube红 = hóng
- 红砖hóng zhuānred brick红 = hóng
- 红肿hóng zhǒngred and swollen; inflamed红 = hóng
- 红茶hóng cháblack tea红 = hóngHSK 3
- 西红柿xī hóng shìtomato红 = hóng
Go deeper
All readings
red
red; the colour red; (figuratively) popular, successful
像鲜血一样的颜色；也比喻受欢迎、顺利。 — studyhanzi 编写
Words with this reading
- 红色hóng sèred; the colour red红 = hóng
- 朱红zhū hóngvermilion; bright red红 = hóng
- 红枣hóng zǎored date; dried jujube红 = hóng
- 红砖hóng zhuānred brick红 = hóng
- 红肿hóng zhǒngred and swollen; inflamed红 = hóng
- 红茶hóng cháblack tea红 = hóngHSK 3
- 西红柿xī hóng shìtomato红 = hóng
Stroke data: hanzi-writer-data (Arphic Public License) · licenses & attributions
Questions people ask about this character
What does 红 mean?
红 (hóng) means red; the colour red; (figuratively) popular, successful.
How do you pronounce 红?
It is pronounced hóng.
What parts is 红 made of?
纟 (silk; thread (left-side form)) and 工 (work), side by side. The recorded source is: 现代字形拆分，以 hanzi-writer-data 笔画核验：6 画 = 纟 3 画 + 工 3 画；部首取康熙 120 糸部；声符判断只依据实测现代读音（工 gōng / 红 hóng：韵母同为 -ong，声母 g→h，声调 1→2）. Components are the building blocks of the shape; the radical used for dictionary lookup is a separate thing.
How many strokes does 红 have?
6. You can watch the stroke order on this page, or trace it yourself.
What is the radical of 红?
糸. 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 红?
Common ones are 红色 and 朱红. The reading of 红 is not the same in every word, so each word on this page shows which reading applies.