<p>Language is just a tool to express oneself.</p>

<p>语言只是用来表达一个人想法的工具。</p>

<p>If you want to learn a language well, you must get rid of all the "Appeared Language", cast light on the inside.</p>

<p>如果你想学好一门语言的话，就要抛弃语言外在的枷锁，找寻深刻的内在含义。</p>

<p>the meanings of the language sometimes reflect on the wether it is a verb, noun or adj.?</p>

<p>语言的含义有时会体现在词性的表达上面，是动词呢，名词呢，还是形容词？</p>

<p>just as you said, "行" can be pronunced háng or xíng, but in different condition, the meaning will be total different!</p>

<p>就像你说的，“行”可以发háng和xíng，可是在不同的情况下，意义可能会大不相同。</p>

<p>háng would be mostly used as a "noun" , such as "bank", however, xíng would be mostly used as a "verb" which mostly means "can".</p>

<p>háng大都时候用在名词中，比如说“银行”，xíng 通常会用在动词中，而这些动词的意思通常有“可以”的意思。</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-11-12T09:03:25.583Z
2012-11-12T23:42:41.997Z
2012-11-12T23:42:41.997Z
chenjinlei
<p>Don't be overwhelmed by that long list of definitions. Just remember three definitions and you'll be 95% covered:</p>

<p>xing2: OK, alright</p>

<p>xing2 (usually used in combinations with other characters): go, move</p>

<p>hang2 (usually used in combination with other characters): industry, line of business/work</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-11-08T17:34:08.023Z
2012-11-08T17:34:08.023Z
Dan
<p>From <a href="http://www.cantonese.sheik.co.uk/dictionary/characters/244/?full=true" rel="nofollow">Sheik</a>. As you can see the situation is even more complex in Cantonese.</p>

<p>/粵拼: haang4 (in compound words, often 'hang4')//漢語: xing2/<br>
<a href="http://www.cantonese.sheik.co.uk/dictionary/characters/244/?full=true" rel="nofollow">1</a> [v] to go; to walk; to go on foot<br>
[2] [v] to move; to travel; to circulate; to go<br></p>

<p>/粵拼: hang4//漢語: xing2/<br>
[3] [v] to act; to do; to work<br>
[4] [v] to publish<br>
[5] [v] be current; to prevail<br>
[6] able; capable<br>
[7] all right; OK; enough<br>
[8] baggage for travel<br>
[9] [n] road; path<br>
[10] ready to...<br>
[11] Kangxi radical 144<br></p>

<p>/粵拼: hong4, hong4*2//漢語: hang2/<br>
[12] [n] row; line<br>
[13] [n] business firm; company<br>
[14] [n] trade; line; profession<br>
[15] [n] generation<br></p>

<p>/粵拼: hang4//漢語: hang2/<br>
[16] order of siblings according to seniority<br></p>

<p>/粵拼: hang6//漢語: xing2 (舊: xing4)/<br>
[17] one's conduct; one's behaviour<br></p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-11-13T09:57:15.020Z
it's so strange how these two have completely diverged. Mandarin 行 is composed of left step, one and nail while cantonese 拼 is composed of hand, open and separation... I I can see in the cantonese meanings that these are related, but they look so different ?!
Stephane Rolland
CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-11-13T10:30:22.567Z
Welcome to the wonderful world of Cantonese :-)
dda
CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-11-13T18:57:09.710Z
I think `粵拼` means "Cantonese pinyin"
Stumpy Joe Pete
CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-11-14T03:08:29.527Z
Indeed. jyutping is one of the romanization systems of Cantonese, and in my opinion the best organized one.
dda
CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-11-13T04:57:49.030Z
2012-11-13T10:29:27.890Z
2012-11-13T10:29:27.890Z
dda
<ol>
<li><p>háng (in most noun)</p>

<p>(1) <code>line, row</code>  表格中的一行 a row in a table, 字里行间 between the lines</p>

<p>(2)  <code>seniority among brothers and sisters</code>， 我排行第二 I'm the second eldest one.</p>

<p>(3)  <code>some place of business</code>, 银行 bank，花行 flower shop，商行 trading company</p>

<p>(4)  <code>trade, company</code>(not very exact)     行业，同行</p>

<p>(5)  <code>measure word</code> 一行，两行</p></li>
<li><p>xíng (verb, use verb as noun)</p>

<p>(1) <code>walk -&gt; distance</code>  步行，行走 walk, on foot,    </p>

<p>(2) <code>something used when going out</code>  行装 outfit for a journey，行李 luggage</p>

<p>(3) <code>transfer, propagation</code> 行销 marketing, 风行一时 be in fashion</p>

<p>(4) <code>be engaged in</code> 进行 proceed  行刺 assassinate</p>

<p>(5) <code>a surname</code> 一个姓氏</p>

<p>(6) <code>behaviour</code> 行为</p>

<p>(7) <code>elements</code> only in 五行</p>

<p>(8) <code>can, be able to, have the ability, ok to go</code></p>

<p>(9) <code>soon</code> 行将</p>

<p>(10) 'travel party' 张三等一行人来到花市。</p></li>
<li><p>héng  <code>skill</code> 道行</p></li>
</ol>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-11-07T10:32:08.940Z
okay... not an easy character... Just wondering for `xing2 (5)`, the character is not appearing, you forgot it ?
Stephane Rolland
CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-11-07T10:48:27.960Z
It's just a Chinese surname. And it is so rare that I don't know any famous person with this surname.
halfelf
CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-11-10T08:51:27.597Z
about (7), you mean Earth, Fire, Water, Wood, Metal ?
Stephane Rolland
CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-11-11T12:07:38.917Z
@StephaneRolland Yes.
halfelf
CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-11-07T04:29:00.967Z
2012-11-13T02:22:21.567Z
2012-11-13T02:22:21.567Z
halfelf
<p>行 can be pronunced <strong>háng</strong> or <strong>xíng</strong>.</p>

<p>As far as I have seen, it means "OK, to go, profession", and many more other meanings.</p>

<p>Could you briefly summarize the usage of it and its corresponding pronunciation.
Because whenever I see this character I am lost.</p>

<p>Are there any clue to help to match it with its correct pronunciation/meaning whenever I see it?</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-11-07T16:33:55.333Z
whenever I see 行 on a shop sign, I say xing2, even though I know it should be hang2
Matthew Rudy 马泰
<meaning><pronunciation><meaning-in-context>
What is the pronunciation of 行 according to its context?
# What is the pronunciation of 行 according to its context?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2012-11-07)

行 can be pronunced **háng** or **xíng**.

As far as I have seen, it means "OK, to go, profession", and many more other meanings.

Could you briefly summarize the usage of it and its corresponding pronunciation.
Because whenever I see this character I am lost.

Are there any clue to help to match it with its correct pronunciation/meaning whenever I see it?

**Tags:** meaning, pronunciation, meaning-in-context

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: whenever I see 行 on a shop sign, I say xing2, even though I know it should be hang2  

---

## 4 answers

### Answer by username_6 on 2012-11-07. Score: 8 | Accepted answer

1. háng (in most noun)

   (1) `line, row` 表格中的一行 a row in a table, 字里行间 between the lines

   (2) `seniority among brothers and sisters`， 我排行第二 I'm the second eldest one.

   (3) `some place of business`, 银行 bank，花行 flower shop，商行 trading company

   (4) `trade, company`(not very exact) 行业，同行

   (5) `measure word` 一行，两行
2. xíng (verb, use verb as noun)

   (1) `walk -> distance` 步行，行走 walk, on foot,

   (2) `something used when going out` 行装 outfit for a journey，行李 luggage

   (3) `transfer, propagation` 行销 marketing, 风行一时 be in fashion

   (4) `be engaged in` 进行 proceed 行刺 assassinate

   (5) `a surname` 一个姓氏

   (6) `behaviour` 行为

   (7) `elements` only in 五行

   (8) `can, be able to, have the ability, ok to go`

   (9) `soon` 行将

   (10) 'travel party' 张三等一行人来到花市。
3. héng `skill` 道行

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: okay... not an easy character... Just wondering for `xing2 (5)`, the character is not appearing, you forgot it ?  
> **username_6**: It's just a Chinese surname. And it is so rare that I don't know any famous person with this surname.  
> **username_0**: about (7), you mean Earth, Fire, Water, Wood, Metal ?  
> **username_6**: @username_0 Yes.  

---

### Answer by username_2 on 2012-11-12. Score: 4

Language is just a tool to express oneself.

语言只是用来表达一个人想法的工具。

If you want to learn a language well, you must get rid of all the "Appeared Language", cast light on the inside.

如果你想学好一门语言的话，就要抛弃语言外在的枷锁，找寻深刻的内在含义。

the meanings of the language sometimes reflect on the wether it is a verb, noun or adj.?

语言的含义有时会体现在词性的表达上面，是动词呢，名词呢，还是形容词？

just as you said, "行" can be pronunced háng or xíng, but in different condition, the meaning will be total different!

就像你说的，“行”可以发háng和xíng，可是在不同的情况下，意义可能会大不相同。

háng would be mostly used as a "noun" , such as "bank", however, xíng would be mostly used as a "verb" which mostly means "can".

háng大都时候用在名词中，比如说“银行”，xíng 通常会用在动词中，而这些动词的意思通常有“可以”的意思。


---

### Answer by username_3 on 2012-11-08. Score: 3

Don't be overwhelmed by that long list of definitions. Just remember three definitions and you'll be 95% covered:

xing2: OK, alright

xing2 (usually used in combinations with other characters): go, move

hang2 (usually used in combination with other characters): industry, line of business/work


---

### Answer by username_4 on 2012-11-13. Score: 1

From [Sheik](http://www.cantonese.sheik.co.uk/dictionary/characters/244/?full=true). As you can see the situation is even more complex in Cantonese.

/粵拼: haang4 (in compound words, often 'hang4')//漢語: xing2/  
[1](http://www.cantonese.sheik.co.uk/dictionary/characters/244/?full=true) [v] to go; to walk; to go on foot  
[2] [v] to move; to travel; to circulate; to go

/粵拼: hang4//漢語: xing2/  
[3] [v] to act; to do; to work  
[4] [v] to publish  
[5] [v] be current; to prevail  
[6] able; capable  
[7] all right; OK; enough  
[8] baggage for travel  
[9] [n] road; path  
[10] ready to...  
[11] Kangxi radical 144

/粵拼: hong4, hong4\*2//漢語: hang2/  
[12] [n] row; line  
[13] [n] business firm; company  
[14] [n] trade; line; profession  
[15] [n] generation

/粵拼: hang4//漢語: hang2/  
[16] order of siblings according to seniority

/粵拼: hang6//漢語: xing2 (舊: xing4)/  
[17] one's conduct; one's behaviour

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: it's so strange how these two have completely diverged. Mandarin 行 is composed of left step, one and nail while cantonese 拼 is composed of hand, open and separation... I I can see in the cantonese meanings that these are related, but they look so different ?!  
> **username_4**: Welcome to the wonderful world of Cantonese :-)  
> **username_5**: I think `粵拼` means "Cantonese pinyin"  
> **username_4**: Indeed. jyutping is one of the romanization systems of Cantonese, and in my opinion the best organized one.  

---

