畫 (huà) - To paint & to draw

畫Tone 4

huà ｜ 12 strokes ｜ radical:

枫惠

畫 · huà

To paint;

to draw;

a painting;

a drawing;

a picture;

to mark;

to delineate;

to plan.

To paintto drawa painting

Usage highlights

PaintingChinese paintingOil paintingComic stripTo draw a lineTo plan a strategy

Synonyms

  • 绘— to paint; to draw
  • 描— to trace; to depict

Antonyms

  • 擦— to erase
  • 抹— to wipe off

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • He likes to paint landscapes (画山水画).
  • This is a traditional Chinese painting (国画).
  • She drew a sketch (画素描).
  • The artist is painting a portrait (画肖像).

Collocations

  • Painting(画画)
  • Chinese painting(国画)
  • Oil painting(油画)
  • Comic strip(连环画)
  • To draw a line(画线)
  • To plan a strategy(画策)

Idioms

  • Drawing a snake and adding feet(画蛇添足)
  • Drawing a cake to satisfy hunger(画饼充饥)
  • Depicting the eyes when drawing a dragon(画龙点睛)
  • Drawing up plans in a command tent(运筹画策)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • One of the core arts in Chinese culture, alongside calligraphy (书画同源 - calligraphy and painting share the same origin).
  • The idiom '画龙点睛' emphasizes the crucial final touch that brings a work to life.
  • Traditional Chinese painting (国画) is a highly respected art form with distinct styles and techniques.

FAQ