Che Hongcai: key obituary facts
Is Che Hongcai dead? Yes. Che Hongcai died on October 11, 2026, at age 90.
Cause of death: Che Hongcai's cause of death has not been publicly confirmed.
What was Che Hongcai known for?
He was a Chinese linguist (1936-2026).
More about Che Hongcai
Born: 1 January 1936.
Gender: male.
Occupation: translator, linguist.
Education: Kabul University, Beijing Foreign Studies University.
Che Hongcai, a Chinese linguist and lexicographer who specialized in Pashto, died October 11, 2026, aged 90.
Born in Hailun, Heilongjiang province, in 1936, he enrolled at Beijing Foreign Studies University in 1957 as an English major. From 1959 to 1963, he studied Pashto at Kabul University’s Cultural Institute, having been sent there by China’s Foreign Ministry.
After returning to China, he arranged to establish a Pashto-language service at China International Radio. During the Cultural Revolution, he was sent to Tangshan in 1968, where he did farm work and took part in daily military drills. In 1975, the State Council decided to publish a series of foreign-language dictionaries, including a Pashto-Chinese dictionary. Che became its editor-in-chief, overseeing the first dictionary of its kind. His career was closely tied to the study and teaching of Pashto in China. He was a professor at the Communication University of China and specialized in the language, combining academic work with the development of resources for Chinese speakers studying Pashto. His education in Beijing and Kabul, followed by his work in broadcasting and lexicography, shaped a career that spanned language teaching, radio service and dictionary editing.