畫 / 画
huà
The English verb 'draw' (to produce a picture) is translated into Mandarin as 畫 / 画 (huà). If unsure, use 畫 / 画. Wiktionary also lists 繪 / 绘 (huì) and 繪畫 / 绘画 (huìhuà).
Meaning: to produce a picture (verb)
Ways to say it
| Mandarin | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| 畫 / 画 | huà |
| 繪 / 绘 | huì |
| 繪畫 / 绘画 | huìhuà |
In Mandarin, several words are used to express the act of producing an image. You can use 畫 / 画 for the general action of drawing, or the more formal 繪畫 / 绘画 to refer to the activity or the art form itself.
Which one should you use?
While 畫 / 画 acts as a verb for the action of drawing, 繪畫 / 绘画 is often used as a noun to refer to the art of painting or drawing itself. Additionally, in natural, casual conversation, it is very common to use the reduplicated form 畫畫 / 画画 to express the activity of drawing or painting.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The verb 畫 / 画 is transitive, meaning it is typically followed directly by the object being drawn, such as a person or a mountain.
How do you pronounce it?
huà
Did you know?
- The components of the traditional character 畫 include a symbol for a 'brush' and a symbol for a 'compass', suggesting a historical connection between drawing and geometric precision.
- In Chinese culture, 'drawing' can refer to a meditative practice or calligraphy, which are treated as high arts rather than just hobbies.
Examples in context
- 他擅长绘画人物。 (Tā shàncháng huì huà rénwù.)He is skilled at drawing people.
- 我喜欢画画来放松。 (Wǒ xǐhuān huà huà lái fàngsōng.)I like to draw to relax.
- 她经常在课堂上画图来帮助理解。 (Tā jīngcháng zài kètáng shàng huà tú lái bāngzhù lǐjiě.)She often draws pictures in class to aid understanding.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “draw” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 畫, 繪, CC BY-SA 4.0.
