红 hóng — bonus; popular; red; revolutionary
秋天的枫叶红得像火。Qiū tiān de fēng yè hóng de xiàng huǒ.In autumn the maple leaves are as red as fire.
Common words: 红色 (hóng sè)、红茶 (hóng chá)、红酒 (hóng jiǔ)
Meaning Index
Chinese characters meaning "red"
Learn Chinese characters with the meaning "red", including 红 (hóng), 丹 (dān), 赤 (chì). Study pinyin, English meanings, traditional forms, common words…
How to Study This Meaning Group
The English word "red" covers 3 different Chinese characters — 红 (hóng), 丹 (dān), 赤 (chì) — and each is its own word with its own feel. These 3 characters do not share a sound — their readings span hóng, dān, chì — so confirm the pinyin and tone for each one separately. The example sentences further down show how 红 and the others are actually used, so you learn them in context rather than as a single translation.
- 红 hóngbonus; popular; red; revolutionaryUseful words: 红色, 红茶
- 丹 dānred; pellet; powder; cinnabarUseful words: 牡丹, 丹方
- 赤 chìred; scarlet; bare; nakedUseful words: 赤字, 赤道
Common words for these 3 "red" characters
Anchor each of these 3 characters in a word you can picture — start with 红 (hóng) — so "red" turns into concrete usage instead of a one-to-one translation.
红色hóng sèred (color); revolutionary红茶hóng cháblack tea红酒hóng jiǔred wine牡丹mǔ dantree peony (Paeonia suffruticosa)丹方dān fāngfolk remedy丹心dān xīnloyal heart; loyalty赤字chì zì(financial) deficit; red letter赤道chì dàoequator (of the earth or a celestial body); celestial equator面红耳赤miàn hóng ěr chìflushed with anger (or excitement)
See each character in a sentence
Each character below is shown in a short example sentence with pinyin and an English translation — the quickest way to feel the difference between the 3 ways to say "red".
丹 dān — red; pellet; powder; cinnabar
这幅画上的牡丹开得十分鲜艳。Zhè fú huà shàng de mǔ dan kāi de shí fēn xiān yàn.The peonies in this painting are blooming brilliantly.
Common words: 牡丹 (mǔ dan)、丹方 (dān fāng)、丹心 (dān xīn)
赤 chì — red; scarlet; bare; naked
孩子们赤着脚在沙滩上奔跑。Hái zi men chì zhe jiǎo zài shā tān shàng bēn pǎo.The children run barefoot on the beach.
Common words: 赤字 (chì zì)、赤道 (chì dào)、面红耳赤 (miàn hóng ěr chì)
All 3 characters
Open 红、丹、赤 or any character below to hear it read aloud and see it used in an example sentence.