How to Write 降 (jiàng/xiáng) — Meaning “to descend / to reduce / to surrender”

Q: Can you give a memory trick to remember the character 降?

Picture a person (the right side 夅 looks like legs) walking down a hill (the left side 阝). This image of stepping downhill helps you recall that 降 means "to descend" or "to lower."

Q: What are the key writing tips for 降?

Write the left radical 阝 first as a short curve then a vertical hook; the right part 夅 begins with a horizontal line followed by a long vertical stroke, then two crossing strokes and two short lines. Keep the right side compact and centered, and do not make the left radical too large.

Q: How is 降 different from the similar characters 邠 and 邡?

降 (jiàng) is a common verb meaning descend or surrender, while 邠 (bīn) and 邡 (fāng) are rare place names with the radical 阝 on the right. Visually, 降 has a more complex right side (夅) compared to the simple right side of 邠 (分) and 邡 (方).

Q: When and how is 降 used in modern Chinese?

降 frequently appears in words like 下降 (to drop in price or temperature) and 降落 (for planes landing). It is also used in 投降 (to surrender) in military or competitive contexts. You will often see it in news about economic decline or weather changes.

Q: What common words use 降?

Common words containing 降 include: 下降 (xià jiàng) — to descend; to decline; to drop; 降落 (jiàng luò) — to land / to descend; 投降 (tóu xiáng) — to surrender.

jiàng/xiáng HSK Level 4 8 strokes Radical: 阝

降 (jiàng/xiáng) means "to descend / to reduce / to surrender" in Chinese. It has 8 strokes with the radical 阝, and is HSK Level 4.

Rated 3.4/5 in difficulty (challenging).

Harder than 29% of HSK Level 4 characters.

Appears in 4+ common words including 下降 (xià jiàng), 降落 (jiàng luò), 投降 (tóu xiáng).

Due to its 8 strokes, Hanzi Writer's error detection shows 降 requires focused practice — most learners need 10+ attempts for consistent accuracy.

Stroke order practice for 降 - jiàng/xiáng

Practice Writing 降 (jiàng/xiáng)

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How to Write 降

The character 降 (jiàng/xiáng) is written with 8 strokes. Follow the standard Chinese stroke order: top to bottom, left to right, outside before inside. The radical 阝 is one of its key components.

Practice the correct stroke order with the Hanzi Writer app to see animated stroke-by-stroke guidance with real-time feedback.

What Does jiàng/xiáng (降) Mean in Chinese?

降 means to descend / to reduce / to surrender.

This is a polyphonic character with readings: jiàng, xiáng.

As an HSK Level 4 character, 降 is an intermediate-level character.

Character Data

Character	降
Pinyin	jiàng / xiáng (jiang/xiang)
Meaning	to descend / to reduce / to surrender
Strokes	8
Radical	阝
HSK Level	4
Difficulty	3.4/5

Origin of 降

Originally depicted footsteps (夅) descending a hill (阝), literally meaning 'to walk down from a mound.' Over time, the meaning expanded to include 'to reduce' and 'to surrender,' as in lowering oneself or one's status.

💡 Memory Tip: Imagine a person on a hill (阝) who trips and falls down the slope (the right side looks like a tumbling figure) — that's 降, a sudden descent.

Common Words with 降

下降 xià jiàng

to descend; to decline; to drop

降落 jiàng luò

to land / to descend

投降 tóu xiáng

to surrender

降伏 xiáng fú

To subdue; to surrender.

Example Sentences

随着冬天的临近，这里的气温开始显著下降。

suí zhe dōng tiān de lín jìn zhè lǐ de qì wēn kāi shǐ xiǎn zhù xià jiàng

With the approach of winter, the temperature here began to drop significantly.

降落伞像一朵朵盛开的花儿在空中降落。

jiàng luò sǎn xiàng yī duǒ duǒ shèng kāi de huā ér zài kōng zhōng jiàng luò

Parachutes descend in the sky like blooming flowers.

失去了最后的防线后，守军不得不宣布投降。

shī qù le zuì hòu de fáng xiàn hòu shǒu jūn bù dé bù xuān bù tóu xiáng

After losing the last line of defense, the defenders had to announce their surrender.

在神话故事中，悟空用金箍棒降伏了妖魔。

zài shén huà gù shì zhōng wù kōng yòng jīn gū bàng xiáng fú le yāo mó

In myths and legends, Wukong used the Golden Cudgel to subdue demons.

Similar Characters Comparison

Character	Pinyin	Strokes	Radical
降 (current)	jiàng / xiáng	8	阝
邠	bīn	6	阝
邡	fāng	6	阝
邢	xíng	6	阝

Practice Writing 降 (jiàng/xiáng)

Open Hanzi Writer to see the animated stroke order and practice writing 降 with real-time feedback.

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Frequently Asked Questions about 降

What are the components of 降 and how do they relate to its meaning?

降 is made of the radical 阝 on the left, which represents a hill or slope, and the right part 夅, which suggests the action of going down. Together, they create the idea of descending from a hill, linking to meanings like "to descend" or "to reduce."

Can you give a memory trick to remember the character 降?

What are the key writing tips for 降?

How is 降 different from the similar characters 邠 and 邡?

When and how is 降 used in modern Chinese?

What common words use 降?

How to Write 降 (jiàng/xiáng) — Meaning “to descend / to reduce / to surrender”

Practice Writing 降 (jiàng/xiáng)

How to Write 降

What Does jiàng/xiáng (降) Mean in Chinese?

Character Data

Origin of 降

Common Words with 降

Example Sentences

Similar Characters Comparison

Practice Writing 降 (jiàng/xiáng)

Frequently Asked Questions about 降

More HSK Level 4 Characters

Characters with Radical 阝

Other 8-Stroke Characters