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红hóng

Character evolution

红

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Shuowen

Red. The character combines the silk radical (纟), representing dyed cloth, with the phonetic element 工, suggesting the work of coloring or the deep crimson produced through dyeing. In oracle bone inscriptions, the form depicted thread or fabric being worked upon, with the final red hue becoming the dominant meaning. The structure reflects this artisanal origin—silk transformed by labor into the prized scarlet that gave the word its name.

Pinyin

hóng· HSK 2