How to Write 憧 (chōng) — Meaning “to long for”

Picture a child (童) standing on tiptoes, heart (忄) full of desire, staring into the distance at something wonderful. This image of a child eagerly reaching for a dream helps you remember that 憧 means “to long for.”

First write the heart radical 忄 (vertical dot, then left dot, then right dot), then the right part 童. In 童, start with the top dot, then horizontal stroke, vertical, then a long horizontal, and finish with 里 inside. A common mistake is forgetting the top dot of 童 or making the final bottom horizontal too long; keep the right side slightly wider than the left.

While 憧 means to long for the future, 愫 (sù) refers to sincere inner feelings, and 慊 (qiàn) expresses dissatisfaction or discontent. Visually, 憧 has 童 on the right, 愫 has 素, and 慊 has 兼. Their meanings are distinct, with 憧 being more forward-looking and hopeful.

憧 mostly appears in the word 憧憬 (chōng jǐng), meaning “to look forward to” or “to yearn for,” often referring to an ideal future or beautiful life. It carries a positive, hopeful tone and is common in poetic or emotional descriptions, such as 憧憬生活 (longing for a better life). It is not used in everyday conversation but rather in expressive writing.

Common words containing 憧 include: 憧憬 (chōng jǐng) — to look forward to; 满怀憧憬 (mǎn huái chōng jǐng) — full of hope and longing; 憧憬生活 (chōng jǐng shēng huó) — to long for a better life.