Multicell　concrete-filled　steel　tubulars　(MCFSTs)　have　been　widely　utilized　in　super-high-rise　buildings.　Hexagonal　six-cell　CFST　columns　have　received　attention　from　scholars,　and　a　series　of　investigations　have　been　conducted.　However,　investigations　on　their　behavior　under　lateral　cyclic　loads　are　rare.　Hence,　8　samples　were　designed,　and　an　experimental　study　was　conducted　under　lateral　cyclic　loads.　The　parameters　included　3　loading　directions　(strong　axis,　45　degrees,　and　weak　axis),　2　axial　loads　(750　kN　and　1500　kN),　and　2　types　of　cross-sectional　structures　(angle　steel-reinforced　type　and　basic　type).　Analysis　was　conducted　on　bearing　capacity,　the　failure　mode,　ductility,　residual　deformation,　accumulated　energy　dissipation　and　strain　development.　The　experimental　results　indicate　that　the　angle　steel　can　decrease　the　residual　deformation　and　improve　the　accumulated　energy　dissipation　and　bearing　capacity　of　samples.　The　performances　of　samples　under　different　loading　directions　were　significantly　different.　With　the　loading　directions　changing　from　the　strong　axis　to　the　weak　axis,　the　accumulated　energy　dissipation　and　bearing　capacity　decreased.　The　influence　of　the　axial　load　ratio　was　related　to　the　loading　direction.　A　calculation　model　using　the　fiber-based　method　was　established　considering　the　differences　among　the　different　cells.　According　to　the　calculation　results　of　this　method,　the　limit　axial　load　ratio　decreased　with　the　loading　directions　changing　from　the　strong　axis　to　the　weak　axis.　The　stress-strain　relationships　of　plain　concrete　and　confined　concrete　based　on　single-cell　CFSTs　were　conservative　in　predicting　the　F-Δ　curves,　and　the　error　increased　with　an　increasing　axial　load　ratio,　while　the　separation　model　showed　the　best　agreement.　©　2020　Elsevier　Ltd