How to Write 霍 (huò) — Meaning “Suddenly; quickly”

Picture a bird (隹) resting quietly until a sudden rain (雨) startles it, making it fly away in an instant. This vivid image of an abrupt reaction helps you recall that 霍 means 'suddenly'.

Write the top 雨 first, making it wide enough to cover the bottom 隹. Pay attention to the vertical stroke on the left side of 隹 – it should go straight down. A common error is shrinking the 隹 too much or mixing up its horizontal strokes with those of 住.

All three have the rain radical (雨), but 霍 has 隹 (bird) below, while 需 has 而 (beard) and 霁 has 齐 (order). In meaning, 霍 implies sudden action, 需 expresses necessity, and 霁 describes clearing weather. Visually, the bottom parts are distinct: bird-like, beard-like, and neat/orderly.

霍 appears in words like 霍然 (suddenly) and 霍乱 (cholera, a sudden illness). It is also used in literary terms such as 霍闪 (lightning) and as a common surname (e.g., Huo Yuanjia). While not in HSK, it appears in formal, medical, or classical contexts.

Common words containing 霍 include: 霍然 (huò rán) — Suddenly; all of a sudden; 霍乱 (huò luàn) — Cholera; 霍闪 (huò shǎn) — Lightning (literary or dialect).