花
flower; to spend (money/time)
huā
What does 花 mean?
花 (huā) is one of the highest-yield characters in HSK 3 because it carries two completely separate everyday meanings. As a noun, 花 is 'flower' — the plant or blossom (一朵花 'a flower,' 一束花 'a bouquet'). As a verb, 花 means 'to spend,' used with money OR time: 花钱 (spend money), 花时间 (spend time). English splits these into two unrelated words; Chinese uses the same character, and learners must read context to know which is meant.
There is no shared etymology you need to memorize — just learn the two meanings as twins. 花 also appears in many compounds: 花园 (garden), 鲜花 (fresh flowers), 花费 (expenditure), and 花样 (variety, pattern). The verb sense is what shows up most often in daily speech.
Character breakdown
flower; to spend (money or time)
Memory hook: Money and time both 'bloom' away — once spent, they're gone, like cut flowers.
Measure word for 花
Example sentences
这朵花真漂亮。
Zhè duǒ huā zhēn piàoliang.
This flower is really pretty.
spoken
我花了二十块钱。
Wǒ huāle èrshí kuài qián.
I spent twenty yuan.
spoken
学中文要花很多时间。
Xué Zhōngwén yào huā hěn duō shíjiān.
Learning Chinese takes a lot of time.
neutral
他给妈妈送了一束花。
Tā gěi māma sòngle yí shù huā.
He gave his mom a bouquet of flowers.
neutral
别花太多钱。
Bié huā tài duō qián.
Don't spend too much money.
spoken
Common phrases with 花
Synonyms
用 means 'to use' — broader than 花. You can 用时间 (use time) but 花时间 is more idiomatic for 'spend time on something.' For money, 花钱 is standard; 用钱 sounds slightly off.
花费 is the formal/written version of 'to spend' or 'expenditure.' Use 花 in everyday speech (我花了一百块); use 花费 in reports or formal writing (这次旅行花费了五千元).
Don't confuse 花 with
画 means 'to paint / a painting' — same pinyin syllable but fourth tone, completely different meaning. 画花 (paint flowers) vs 花 (a flower). Learners often confuse them in writing.
化 means 'to change / -ize' (变化 'change,' 文化 'culture'). Looks similar at small font sizes. Different character, different meaning.
FAQ
Acquire by listening
Hear 花 in real Chinese, not in a flashcard.
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