huo

Huo is the pinyin spelling used for several distinct Chinese characters, so it does not refer to a single word by itself. In Mandarin, different characters that share the same pinyin form are distinguished by their tones, but when written without tone marks they appear as huo. The syllable can be part of many common words and proper names.

Common characters represented by huo include fire (huo, usually written as 火), to live or living (huo, as in 活), goods or merchandise (huo, as in 货), or (huo, as in 或), and to obtain or to win (huo, as in 获). There is also a surname written as 霍 that is pronounced huo and appears in historical and contemporary names. Because multiple characters share the same pinyin, context and tone are essential for meaning.

Huo is also a Chinese surname, most commonly written with the character 霍. Notable people with this surname include Huo Yuanjia (霍元甲), a famous 19th‑century martial artist, and Huo Qubing (霍去病), a renowned Han dynasty general. Beyond personal names, huo appears in various compound terms and place names in Chinese, reflecting its broad range of meanings across different characters.

In summary, huo is a versatile pinyin syllable representing several Chinese characters with different meanings. Its interpretation depends on the specific character and tone, and it functions both in ordinary vocabulary and as a surname in Chinese.