乍 meaning and stroke order
First time, for the first time, suddenly
How to write 乍, stroke by stroke
5 strokes in order. Each box adds the next stroke in red. Write top to bottom and left to right, and finish enclosing strokes last.
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
Meaning of 乍
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- at first
- suddenly
- abruptly
- to spread
- (of hair) to stand on end
- bristling
How 乍 is built
Components of the character.
Radical: 丿 (slash), shared by 19 characters on this site.
How to remember 乍
Picture the slanting stroke 丿 swooping down over 下 (xià, down) with an extra line 一, like something dropping in suddenly from above. That sudden drop helps you remember 乍 (zhà) means suddenly or at first.
乍 is mostly literary and appears in set phrases like 乍一看 (zhà yī kàn, at first glance) and 乍暖还寒 (zhà nuǎn huán hán, warm at first but still cold). Example: 乍一看，他像个学生。 (Zhà yī kàn, tā xiàng gè xuésheng.) At first glance, he looks like a student.
Common mistake: Learners often confuse 乍 with 作 (zuò, to do) and 怎 (zěn, how), which contain 乍 as a component but have different sounds and meanings. Also remember the fourth tone: zhà, not zhā.
Characters that contain 乍
Learning 乍 makes these easier to recognize and write.
Questions about 乍
How many strokes are in 乍?
乍 is written with 5 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 乍 mean?
乍 (zhà) means first time, for the first time, suddenly.
How do you pronounce 乍?
乍 is pronounced zhà, in the fourth tone (falling).
What is the radical of 乍?
The radical of 乍 is 丿, which carries the idea of "slash". Dictionaries list 乍 under this radical.
What does 乍 mean when talking about hair?
乍 can describe hair standing on end or bristling, as in fear or anger. In this sense it overlaps with 炸 (zhà), and you may see 头发乍起来 or 头发炸起来 for hair standing up.
Can I use 乍 by itself in everyday speech?
Not very often. In speech people usually say 突然 (tūrán, suddenly) or 刚开始 (gāng kāishǐ, at first), and keep 乍 for fixed phrases like 乍一看 or 乍听之下.