How to Write 弘 (hóng) — Meaning “grand or great”

Picture a bow (弓) being pulled back to shoot an arrow at a target that looks like the 厶 shape on the right. Hitting that target is a grand achievement, so the whole character means "grand" or "great."

First write the left radical 弓: horizontal stroke, then vertical stroke, then a vertical-hook with a fold (3 strokes total). Then add 厶 on the right: a slanted stroke (撇折) and a dot. A common mistake is making the 弓 too narrow or the 厶 too wide; keep both parts balanced.

弓 is just the bow radical and means "bow" (a weapon). 引 (yǐn) adds a vertical line to 弓, meaning "to pull" or "to lead." 弘 replaces that line with 厶 and means "grand" or "great." So the right part is the key visual difference.

弘 appears in formal or literary words like 弘扬 (hóng yáng, to promote) and 弘大 (hóng dà, grand). It is not common in daily conversation but is used in official speeches, company names, or classical texts. It is also a surname, such as in the Qing emperor Hongli (弘历).

Common words containing 弘 include: 弘扬 (hóng yáng) — to promote or carry forward; 弘大 (hóng dà) — grand or magnificent; 宽弘 (kuān hóng) — Broad-minded / Magnanimous.