海 Ocean in Chinese (hǎi)

Dictionary Summary

海 (hǎi) means ocean; sea; CL:個|个[ge4],片[pian4]. Simplified form has 10 strokes under radical 氵.

Pinyin & Tonehǎi (Tone 3)

Simplified / Trad.海 / 海

Radical氵

Total Strokes10 strokes

StructureLeft–Right (氵 + 每)

Unicode / LevelU+6D77 · HSK 2

Native Naming & Tattoo Safety Review

🪪 Using “海” in a Chinese Name · Good with Pairing (Masculine-leaning)

Expansive and bold, though pairings like 海涛 or 海军 sound very 1970s–1980s. Modern alternatives like 瀚海, 海晏, or 星海 retain the ocean grandeur with fresh taste.

✒️ Using “海” for a Tattoo · Better in a Phrase

Looks strong paired in 山海 (mountains and seas) or 海纳百川 (broad-minded like the ocean).

Character Etymology & CC-CEDICT Meanings

Origin & Visual Logic: Water radical (氵) combined with 每 (every/vast): the vast reservoir where every river converges.

Traditional / Simplified	Pinyin	CC-CEDICT Definitions
海 / 海	hǎi	ocean; sea; CL:個\|个[ge4],片[pian4]
海 / 海	Hǎi	surname Hai

Lexical entries derived from CC-CEDICT (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Make Me a Hanzi (APL / LGPL-3.0).

Common Words & Idioms Using “海”

Chinese Word	Pinyin	English Meaning
大海	dàhǎi	the open sea
海洋	hǎiyáng	ocean
星辰大海	xīngchén-dàhǎi	vast horizons (stars and sea)

English Names Using “海” in Our Curated Recommendations

See how native speakers pair 海 (hǎi) into modern Chinese names:

海星瑶Mia (Hǎi Xīng yáo)林海川Adrian (Lín Hǎi chuān)

Frequently Asked Questions

How many strokes does the Chinese character "海" (hǎi) have?

"海" has 10 strokes in Simplified Chinese. Its primary dictionary radical is 氵, and you can animate or practice writing every stroke in order using the interactive grid on this page.

Is "海" good to use in a real Chinese name?

Rating: Good with Pairing (Masculine-leaning). Expansive and bold, though pairings like 海涛 or 海军 sound very 1970s–1980s. Modern alternatives like 瀚海, 海晏, or 星海 retain the ocean grandeur with fresh taste.