以 meaning and stroke order
To use; by means of; according to
How to write 以, stroke by stroke
4 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
Meaning of 以
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- to use
- by means of
- according to
- in order to
- because of
- at (a certain date or place)
How 以 is built
Components of the character.
Radical: 人 (man), shared by 30 characters on this site.
How to remember 以
The right side of 以 is 人 (rén, person), and the left side is an unknown shape. Picture a person on the right holding a tool on the left, so 以 means "to use" or "by means of".
以 rarely stands alone in speech. It mostly appears in set words like 可以, 所以, 以前 and 以后, and in formal writing it means "with" or "in order to". Example: 我以前住在北京。(Wǒ yǐqián zhù zài Běijīng.) I used to live in Beijing.
Common mistake: Learners often use 以为 (yǐwéi) as a neutral "I think". It usually means you believed something that turned out wrong, so for a plain opinion use 我觉得 (wǒ juéde) instead.
Common words with 以
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 可以 | kěyǐ | can; may | HSK 2 |
| 所以 | suǒyǐ | therefore; as a result | HSK 2 |
| 以为 | yǐwéi | to think; to believe (often with the implication that the belief is mistaken – unless refe | HSK 2 |
| 以前 | yǐqián | before; formerly | HSK 2 |
| 以后 | yǐhòu | after; later | HSK 2 |
| 以上 | yǐshàng | that level or higher; that amount or more; the above-mentioned | HSK 2 |
| 以外 | yǐwài | apart from; other than | HSK 2 |
| 以下 | yǐxià | that level or lower; that amount or less | HSK 2 |
| 以来 | yǐlái | since (used after a specified time or event) | HSK 3 |
| 以及 | yǐjí | and; as well as | HSK 4 |
| 以内 | yǐnèi | within; less than | HSK 4 |
| 难以 | nányǐ | hard to (predict, imagine etc) | HSK 5 |
| 得以 | déyǐ | able to; so that sb can | HSK 5 |
| 以往 | yǐwǎng | in the past; formerly | HSK 5 |
以 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Characters that contain 以
Learning 以 makes these easier to recognize and write.
Questions about 以
How many strokes are in 以?
以 is written with 4 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 以 mean?
以 (yǐ) means to use; by means of; according to. A common word with it is 可以 (kěyǐ), meaning "can; may".
How do you pronounce 以?
以 is pronounced yǐ, in the third tone (dipping).
What is the radical of 以?
The radical of 以 is 人, which carries the idea of "man". Dictionaries list 以 under this radical.
What is the traditional form of 以?
The traditional form of 以 is 㕥 and 㠯. Traditional characters are used in Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau; 以 is the simplified form used in mainland China and Singapore.
Is 以 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 以 is part of the HSK 2 character list in the HSK 3.0 standard, and you are expected to write it by hand from HSK 1.
Does 以上 include the number mentioned?
Usually yes. 十八岁以上 (shíbā suì yǐshàng) normally means age 18 and up. The same goes for 以下, which normally includes the number.
What is the difference between 以后 and 后来?
以后 (yǐhòu) can refer to the future or follow a time phrase, as in 下课以后 (after class). 后来 (hòulái) only means "afterwards" about past events and cannot talk about the future.