How to Write 扬 (yáng) — Meaning “to raise; to hoist; to spread”

Picture a hand (扌) lifting a bright sun (昜) above a crowd to spread its light. This image helps you remember both the "raise" and "spread" meanings of 扬.

Write the left radical 扌 first (3 strokes: horizontal, vertical hook, upward flick). Then write the right side: a horizontal line, then a vertical line that bends into a hook, and finally a left-falling stroke. Keep the right side narrow and balanced with the left hand.

Both have the hand radical 扌, but the right side of 扬 ends with a left-falling stroke (撇), while 扎 has a simple hook (乚) and a dot. Their meanings are different: 扬 is about raising or spreading, whereas 扎 means to tie, stab, or pierce.

扬 appears in common words like 表扬 (to praise), 发扬 (to promote), and 扬名 (to become famous). It is also used in idioms such as 扬眉吐气 (to feel proud and relieved), reflecting a positive sense of lifting or spreading something good.

Common words containing 扬 include: 表扬 (biǎo yáng) — to praise; to commend; 发扬 (fā yáng) — To promote; to carry forward; 扬名 (yáng míng) — to become famous; to make a name for oneself.