How to Write 贺 (hè) — Meaning “Congratulate; celebrate”

Think of adding (加) a shell (贝) as giving a valuable gift to someone. Visualize adding a shiny shell to a gift box to celebrate an occasion, which reminds you of the congratulatory meaning.

Write the top part 加 first: left stroke, then 力. The radical 贝 comes below as a bottom component. A common mistake is making the 贝 too tall or misaligning it with the top; keep it compact and centered under 加.

贡 (gòng) means tribute, with 工 (work) on top and 贝 below. 财 (cái) means wealth, with 才 (talent) on top and 贝 below. 贺 uses 加 (add) on top, focusing on celebration rather than tribute or money.

贺 is used in greetings like 祝贺 (congratulations) and on greeting cards (贺卡). It appears in celebrations such as birthdays and holidays. Culturally, giving a 贺卡 is a common way to express good wishes during festivals like Chinese New Year.

Common words containing 贺 include: 祝贺 (zhù hè) — Congratulations; to congratulate; 贺卡 (hè kǎ) — Greeting card; 庆贺 (qìng hè) — to congratulate; to celebrate.