héngfú: 横幅 - Banner, Scroll

• 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.

• 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.

• 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.

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.

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 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.

• 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).

• 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).