Show pageOld revisionsBacklinksBack to top This page is read only. You can view the source, but not change it. Ask your administrator if you think this is wrong. ====== héngfú: 横幅 - Banner, Scroll ====== ===== Quick Summary ===== * **Keywords:** héngfú, hengfu, 横幅, Chinese banner, what is a hengfu, banner in Chinese, Chinese red banner, protest banner, celebration banner, horizontal scroll, Chinese public signs * **Summary:** Learn the meaning and cultural significance of **横幅 (héngfú)**, the ubiquitous Chinese banner seen at celebrations, protests, and grand openings. This guide breaks down the characters, provides practical example sentences, and explains how these long, horizontal scrolls are a vital part of public communication in modern China, from official government slogans to heartfelt wedding messages. ===== Core Meaning ===== * **Pinyin (with tone marks):** héngfú * **Part of Speech:** Noun * **HSK Level:** HSK 5 * **Concise Definition:** A long, horizontal strip of cloth or paper with characters written on it; a banner or streamer. * **In a Nutshell:** A **横幅 (héngfú)** is a physical banner, typically much longer than it is wide. It's a highly visible and common tool for public messaging all across China. You'll see them stretched across school gates to celebrate student achievements, hung on buildings to announce a grand opening, strung up in public squares for national holidays, and held by individuals during protests. They are a direct, powerful, and fundamental part of China's visual landscape. ===== Character Breakdown ===== * **横 (héng):** This character means "horizontal," "across," or "sideways." It's composed of the radical for tree (木) and a character (黄) that provides the sound and hints at a cross-beam. Think of a log laid horizontally. * **幅 (fú):** This character means "width," "a strip of cloth," or is a measure word for paintings. The radical on the left (巾) means "cloth" or "towel." * **How they combine:** The meaning is incredibly literal and transparent. **横 (héng)** meaning "horizontal" + **幅 (fú)** meaning "a strip of cloth" = a horizontal strip of cloth, which is exactly what a **横幅 (héngfú)** is. ===== Cultural Context and Significance ===== In Chinese culture, the **横幅 (héngfú)** is more than just a sign; it's a primary medium for public declaration and collective expression. Its presence signifies importance, whether celebrating a community achievement, announcing a government policy, or launching a commercial enterprise. The most iconic type is the red banner with yellow or white characters (红底黄字, hóng dǐ huáng zì). Red is the color of luck, joy, and celebration in traditional culture, but it's also the color of the Communist Party and the nation. This makes the red **横幅** a powerful and versatile tool, equally suitable for a wedding, a national holiday, or a new government initiative. Compared to Western culture, where banners are typically reserved for specific events like sales, parades, or protests, the **横幅** in China is a more integrated part of daily life and official communication. You might see one thanking the local police department for their service, another reminding residents to sort their trash, or one congratulating a single student by name for getting into a good university. This reflects a more collective culture where public announcements and shared sentiments are displayed openly and frequently. It's a form of communication that is simultaneously official, commercial, and personal. ===== Practical Usage in Modern China ===== The use of **横幅** is widespread and context-dependent. * **Celebrations and Milestones:** This is one of the most common uses. They are essential for grand openings (开业), weddings (婚礼), and anniversaries (周年纪念). They create a festive and important atmosphere. * **Official Announcements and Propaganda:** Government bodies and public institutions use **横幅** to disseminate information, promote public health campaigns (e.g., "Wash Hands Frequently"), or display patriotic slogans during national holidays. * **Education:** Schools and universities are hotspots for **横幅**. They are used to welcome new students, motivate them before major exams like the *gaokao* (高考), and, most famously, to celebrate students who have achieved high scores or been admitted to prestigious universities. * **Protests and Grievances:** Because they are cheap to make, portable, and highly visible, **横幅** are a critical tool for protesters to make their demands seen. * **Commercial Advertising:** Businesses use them to announce sales, promotions, and new products in a very direct and eye-catching way. ===== Example Sentences ===== * **Example 1:** * 学校门口挂着一条红色的**横幅**。 * Pinyin: Xuéxiào ménkǒu guàzhe yī tiáo hóngsè de **héngfú**. * English: A red banner is hanging at the school entrance. * Analysis: A simple, descriptive sentence. Note the use of the measure word **条 (tiáo)**, which is used for long, thin objects. This is the standard measure word for a **横幅**. * **Example 2:** * **横幅**上写着“热烈欢迎”四个大字。 * Pinyin: **Héngfú** shàng xiězhe "rèliè huānyíng" sì ge dà zì. * English: On the banner are written the four big characters for "Warm Welcome." * Analysis: This sentence structure, "[Object]上写着...", is very common for describing the content of signs, books, and banners. * **Example 3:** * 为了庆祝新店开业，他们拉起了一条长长的**横幅**。 * Pinyin: Wèile qìngzhù xīn diàn kāiyè, tāmen lāqǐle yī tiáo chángcháng de **héngfú**. * English: To celebrate the new store's grand opening, they put up a long banner. * Analysis: The verb **拉 (lā)**, meaning "to pull" or "to stretch," is often used for putting up a banner. * **Example 4:** * 抗议者们高举着**横幅**，要求得到公正的对待。 * Pinyin: Kàngyìzhěmen gāo jǔzhe **héngfú**, yāoqiú dédào gōngzhèng de duìdài. * English: The protesters held the banners high, demanding fair treatment. * Analysis: This example shows the use of **横幅** in the context of a protest. The verb **举 (jǔ)** means "to lift" or "to raise." * **Example 5:** * 春节期间，到处都可以看到庆祝节日的**横幅**。 * Pinyin: Chūnjié qījiān, dàochù dōu kěyǐ kàndào qìngzhù jiérì de **héngfú**. * English: During Spring Festival, you can see banners celebrating the holiday everywhere. * Analysis: This sentence highlights the ubiquity of **横幅** during major cultural events. * **Example 6:** * 这条**横幅**是谁挂在这里的？ * Pinyin: Zhè tiáo **héngfú** shì shéi guà zài zhèlǐ de? * English: Who hung this banner here? * Analysis: A practical question you might ask. The verb **挂 (guà)**, "to hang," is the most common verb for a banner that is affixed to a wall or gate. * **Example 7:** * 我们需要为这次活动定制一条**横幅**。 * Pinyin: Wǒmen xūyào wèi zhè cì huódòng dìngzhì yī tiáo **héngfú**. * English: We need to custom-make a banner for this event. * Analysis: This shows the action of getting a banner made. **定制 (dìngzhì)** means "to customize." * **Example 8:** * 那家商场挂出了“全场五折”的**横幅**来吸引顾客。 * Pinyin: Nà jiā shāngchǎng guàchūle "quánchǎng wǔzhé" de **héngfú** lái xīyǐn gùkè. * English: That shopping mall put out a "50% Off Everything" banner to attract customers. * Analysis: A classic example of a **横幅** used for commercial promotion. * **Example 9:** * 祝贺李明同学被北京大学录取的**横幅**非常醒目。 * Pinyin: Zhùhè Lǐ Míng tóngxué bèi Běijīng Dàxué lùqǔ de **héngfú** fēicháng xǐngmù. * English: The banner congratulating student Li Ming on his admission to Peking University is very eye-catching. * Analysis: This perfectly illustrates the use of **横幅** in an educational context to celebrate individual achievement publicly. * **Example 10:** * 尽管**横幅**有点旧了，但上面的字还很清楚。 * Pinyin: Jǐnguǎn **héngfú** yǒudiǎn jiù le, dàn shàngmiàn de zì hái hěn qīngchǔ. * English: Although the banner is a bit old, the characters on it are still very clear. * Analysis: A simple sentence describing the state of a banner. ===== Nuances and Common Mistakes ===== * **横幅 (héngfú) vs. 标语 (biāoyǔ):** This is the most critical distinction for learners. **横幅** is the physical object—the cloth banner itself. **标语 (biāoyǔ)** is the slogan or the text written *on* the banner. You create a **横幅** to display a **标语**. * **Incorrect:** 我想出了一个很好的**横幅**。 (Wǒ xiǎngchūle yī gè hěn hǎo de héngfú.) - "I thought of a great banner." (This sounds like you imagined a physical object). * **Correct:** 我想出了一个很好的**标语**。 (Wǒ xiǎngchūle yī gè hěn hǎo de biāoyǔ.) - "I thought of a great slogan." * **Correct:** 我们要把这个**标语**写在**横幅**上。 (Wǒmen yào bǎ zhège biāoyǔ xiě zài héngfú shàng.) - "We need to write this slogan on the banner." * **Measure Word:** Always use **条 (tiáo)** as the measure word for **横幅**. Using **个 (gè)** is a common beginner mistake but sounds unnatural to a native speaker. * **横幅 vs. "Banner":** While "banner" is the best translation, a Chinese **横幅** is almost exclusively a long, horizontal rectangle with text. A Western "banner" can be vertical, square, or graphically complex. A **横幅** is a specific *type* of banner. Its vertical counterpart is called a **条幅 (tiáofú)**. ===== Related Terms and Concepts ===== * [[标语]] (biāoyǔ) - Slogan; the message or text written on the **横幅**. * [[条幅]] (tiáofú) - A vertical banner or scroll; the vertical counterpart to the horizontal **横幅**. * [[海报]] (hǎibào) - Poster. A different format, typically a sheet of paper posted flat on a surface and often more graphic-intensive. * [[口号]] (kǒuhào) - Slogan, chant. A **口号** is often shouted by a group, but it can also be written on a **横幅**. It implies action and voice. * [[宣传]] (xuānchuán) - Propaganda, to publicize, to promote. **横幅** are a very common tool for **宣传**. * [[广告]] (guǎnggào) - Advertisement. **横幅** are a low-tech but effective form of outdoor **广告**. * [[庆祝]] (qìngzhù) - To celebrate. A primary reason for hanging a **横幅**. * [[抗议]] (kàngyì) - To protest. A context where **横幅** are used to display grievances. * [[挂]] (guà) - To hang. The most common verb used for putting up a **横幅** on a wall or structure. * [[拉]] (lā) - To pull, to stretch. Used when a **横幅** is stretched between two points (e.g., across a street).