How to Write 泓 (hóng) — Meaning “Deep and clear (of water)”

Imagine a vast and deep lake where the water (氵) is so clear you can see all the way to the bottom, and the lake is as wide as the horizon (弘). The shape of 弘 looks like two hills on either side of the water, holding a deep pool. Think: "A vast (弘) pool of clear water (氵)."

Write the water radical 氵 first with three strokes: dot, dot, then a short upward lift. The right part 弘 starts with the bow shape 弓 (three strokes: horizontal fold, vertical fold hook, then a final horizontal stroke) followed by 厶 (a private-like shape: two strokes, fold and then a dot). A common mistake is making the 弓 too narrow or forgetting the dot at the end of 厶, so keep the right side balanced and compact.

泓 (hóng) means deep, clear water, like a pool or a lake. 㳄 (xián) also has the water radical but with 欠 (meaning "to owe" or "yawn") and actually refers to saliva or spittle — a very different meaning. 汊 (chà) combines 氵 with 叉 ("fork") and means a branch of a river or a stream that splits off. So visually, 泓 has 弘, 㳄 has 欠, and 汊 has 叉, and their meanings are all related to water but in distinct ways.

泓 is a literary character rarely used in daily conversation, but it appears in classical poetry, nature descriptions, and formal place names. For example, 一泓清泉 (yī hóng qīng quán) describes a clear spring, and 泓澄 (hóng chéng) is used in essays to depict water that is both deep and pure. You might also find it in names of scenic spots or Chinese calligraphy works to evoke serene beauty.

Common words containing 泓 include: 一泓 (yī hóng) — a pool (of water); a clear stream; 泓澄 (hóng chéng) — Deep and clear water; 泓泓 (hóng hóng) — Vast and deep (of water).