鸿 (hóng) - Vast, grand, great & wild swan

鸿Tone 2

hóng ｜ 11 strokes ｜ radical:

枫惠

鸿 · hóng

Vast, grand, great;

wild swan;

refers to something on a large scale;

also used metaphorically for letters or correspondence.

Vast, grand, greatwild swanrefers to something on a large scale

Usage highlights

Wild gooseGrand ambitionMonumental workVast sea of peopleLetter/correspondenceGrand plan

Synonyms

  • 大— big, large
  • 巨— huge, gigantic
  • 雁— wild goose (the bird)

Antonyms

  • 小— small, little
  • 微— tiny, minute
  • 毛— hair, feather (in the context of lightness vs. importance)

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • The wild goose flies south in autumn (鸿雁南飞).
  • He has grand ambitions (鸿图大志).
  • This is a monumental work (鸿篇巨制).
  • I received your letter (来鸿).

Collocations

  • Wild goose(鸿雁)
  • Grand ambition(鸿图/鸿志)
  • Monumental work(鸿篇)
  • Vast sea of people(人海鸿涛)
  • Letter/correspondence(来鸿)
  • Grand plan(鸿图)

Idioms

  • Light as a goose feather(轻于鸿毛)
  • A grand plan laid out(鸿图大展)
  • Snow mud and claw prints(雪泥鸿爪)
  • A swan's ambition(鸿鹄之志)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • In Chinese culture, the wild goose (鸿雁) symbolizes loyalty, marital fidelity, and seasonal messages as migratory birds.
  • The character carries connotations of grandeur and magnificence, often used in classical texts to describe great achievements or vast scales.
  • Historically used in reference to great floods in ancient texts, representing both natural power and the challenge of taming nature.

FAQ