Learn a Chinese Character - 控

1. Character Basics

Radical: 扌 (shǒu, hand radical)

Stroke Count: 11

Stroke Order:

2. Pronunciation

Pinyin: kòng (fourth tone)

3. Meaning

Control, manipulate, govern, command, accuse

4. Common Words

• 控制 (kòngzhì) - control
• 监控 (jiānkòng) - monitor, supervision
• 掌控 (zhǎngkòng) - have control over
• 指控 (zhǐkòng) - accuse, charge
• 遥控 (yáokòng) - remote control
• 控制系统 (kòngzhì xìtǒng) - control system
• 控制器 (kòngzhìqì) - controller
• 失控 (shīkòng) - lose control
• 控股 (kònggǔ) - hold controlling shares

5. Grammar & Usage

As a verb:

• 表示掌握住不使任意活动或越出范围 - to keep under control, to prevent from exceeding limits
• 请控制你的音量 - Please control your volume
• 他无法控制自己的情绪 - He can't control his emotions

As a verb (meaning to accuse):

• 表示指控、控告 - to charge, to accuse
• 他被指控犯有盗窃罪 - He was accused of theft
• 警方指控他谋杀 - The police charged him with murder

As a noun (in compound words):

• 表示控制的装置或系统 - a control device or system
• 这个遥控器坏了 - This remote control is broken
• 我们需要更换控制器 - We need to replace the controller

6. Cultural Background

在现代中国社会，"控"字被广泛用于描述对各种事物的控制和管理。随着科技的发展，"控"字也经常出现在与电子设备、计算机系统和自动化相关的词汇中，如"遥控器"、"控制系统"等。此外，在网络文化中，"控"字还发展出了新的含义，如"颜控"（喜欢漂亮外表的人）、"手控"（喜欢好看的手的人）等，表示对某一特定事物的喜爱或偏好。

从历史角度看，"控"字最初与驾驭马匹有关，后来逐渐扩展到对各种事物的控制和管理。这种含义的演变反映了人类从控制自然到控制社会、控制技术的发展过程。

In modern Chinese society, the character "控" is widely used to describe control and management of various things. With the development of technology, "控" also frequently appears in vocabulary related to electronic devices, computer systems, and automation, such as "遥控器" (remote control) and "控制系统" (control system). Additionally, in internet culture, "控" has developed new meanings, such as "颜控" (people who like beautiful appearances) and "手控" (people who like good-looking hands), indicating a preference or liking for a specific thing.

From a historical perspective, the character "控" was initially related to controlling horses, and later gradually expanded to controlling and managing various things. This evolution of meaning reflects the development process of humans from controlling nature to controlling society and technology.

7. Example Sentence

8. Memory Tips

"控"字由"扌"（shǒu, hand）和"空"（kōng, empty/space）组成。你可以想象用手控制空间或事物，这样就能记住"控"的意思是控制、掌控了。另外，"控"字也可以理解为用手把某事物控制在一定的空间范围内，不让它超出限制。

The character "控" is composed of "扌" (shǒu, hand) and "空" (kōng, empty/space). You can imagine using your hand to control space or things to remember that "控" means control or manipulation. Additionally, "控" can also be understood as using your hand to control something within a certain spatial range, preventing it from exceeding limits.