亦 meaning and stroke order
Also
How to write 亦, stroke by stroke
6 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
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- 4
- 5
- 6
Meaning of 亦
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- also
How 亦 is built
Ideographic (compound meaning) character. A man standing with arrows pointing to his armpits.
Radical: 亠 (lid), shared by 18 characters on this site.
How to remember 亦
Picture a man standing with his arms out, and the dots on each side point to his two armpits. He has one armpit on the left and one on the right, so the second is there 'also', just like the first.
亦 (yì) is a formal, written word for 'also'. It appears in literary Chinese, set phrases, and news writing, while everyday speech uses 也 (yě) instead. Example: 有朋自远方来，不亦乐乎 (yǒu péng zì yuǎnfāng lái, bù yì lè hū), Isn't it a joy to have friends come from afar?
Common mistake: Learners often confuse 亦 with 赤 (chì, red), which looks similar but has 土 on top. Another trap is using 亦 in casual conversation, where it sounds stiff; say 也 (yě) there instead.
Common words with 亦
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 不亦乐乎 | bùyìlèhū | lit. isn't that a joy? (quote from Confucius); fig. (jocular) extremely; awfully | HSK 7-9 |
亦 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Characters that contain 亦
Learning 亦 makes these easier to recognize and write.
Questions about 亦
How many strokes are in 亦?
亦 is written with 6 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 亦 mean?
亦 (yì) means also. A common word with it is 不亦乐乎 (bùyìlèhū), meaning "lit. isn't that a joy? (quote from Confucius); fig. (jocular) extremely; awfully".
How do you pronounce 亦?
亦 is pronounced yì, in the fourth tone (falling).
What is the radical of 亦?
The radical of 亦 is 亠, which carries the idea of "lid". Dictionaries list 亦 under this radical.
Is 亦 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 亦 is part of the HSK 7-9 character list in the HSK 3.0 standard.
What does 不亦乐乎 mean in modern Chinese?
It comes from Confucius and literally means 'isn't that a joy?'. Today people use it jokingly to mean 'extremely' or 'awfully', as in 忙得不亦乐乎 (máng de bù yì lè hū), busy as anything.
Where will I see 亦 in modern Chinese?
You will see it in fixed phrases such as 亦然 (yìrán, likewise) and 反之亦然 (fǎn zhī yì rán, and vice versa). It also appears in formal writing, speeches, and classical quotations.