明 (míng) - Meaning, Stroke Order, Words & Examples

Q: What does 明 (míng) mean in Chinese?

The Chinese character 明 (míng) means "bright; clear; tomorrow". It is an HSK Level 1 character, with 8 strokes and the radical 日.

Q: How do you write 明 stroke by stroke?

明 has 8 strokes. The radical is 日. Follow the standard stroke order: top to bottom, left to right, outside before inside. Practice with stroke animation to build muscle memory.

Q: What's the difference between 明 and 旨?

明 (míng) and 旨 look similar but differ in meaning and usage. Check the radical and stroke count to tell them apart.

Q: What mistakes do learners make writing 明?

Common mistake: incorrect stroke order or miswriting the radical 日. Pay attention to the proportion between components — keep the radical compact.

Q: What common words use 明?

Common words containing 明 include: 明天 (míng tiān) — tomorrow; 明白 (míng bái) — To understand / Clear; 聪明 (cōng míng) — smart; clever.

How to Write 明

The character 明 (míng) is written with 8 strokes. Follow the standard Chinese stroke order: top to bottom, left to right, outside before inside. The radical 日 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.

Meaning & Pronunciation

明 is pronounced míng in Mandarin Chinese. It means bright; clear; tomorrow.

As an HSK Level 1 character, 明 is among the first characters beginners learn.

Common Words with 明

明天 míng tiān

tomorrow

明白 míng bái

To understand / Clear

聪明 cōng míng

smart; clever

Example Sentences

明天是星期一。

míng tiān shì xīng qī yī

Tomorrow is Monday.

我明白你的意思。

wǒ míng bái nǐ de yì si

I understand what you mean.

这个孩子很聪明。

zhè ge hái zi hěn cōng míng

This child is very smart.

Similar Characters

旨 zhǐ

早 zǎo

旭 xù

Practice Writing 明 (míng)

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

App Store ▶ Google Play

Frequently Asked Questions about 明

What does 明 (míng) mean in Chinese?

How do you write 明 stroke by stroke?

What's the difference between 明 and 旨?

What mistakes do learners make writing 明?

What common words use 明?

How to Write 明 (míng)