位 meaning and stroke order
Position; location; place
How to write 位, stroke by stroke
7 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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- 3
- 4
- 5
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- 7
Meaning of 位
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- position
- location
- place
- seat
- classifier for people (honorific)
- classifier for binary bits (e.g. 十六位 16-bit or 2 bytes)
How 位 is built
Ideographic (compound meaning) character. The place where a person 亻 stands 立.
Radical: 亻 (man), shared by 277 characters on this site.
How to remember 位
位 combines a person 亻 with 立 (lì, to stand). The place where a person stands is their position, seat, or rank.
位 appears in words about place and status, like 位置 (wèizhì) position and 地位 (dìwèi) status. It is also a polite measure word for people, used instead of 个 (gè) when you want to show respect. Example: 这位老师很好。(Zhè wèi lǎoshī hěn hǎo.) This teacher is very good.
Common mistake: Learners often mix up 位 with 拉 (lā, to pull), which has the hand radical 扌 instead of the person radical 亻. Also, 位 is polite, so avoid using it for yourself or for people you are speaking about rudely. Say 我们三个人, not 我们三位.
Common words with 位
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 座位 | zuòwèi | seat | HSK 2 |
| 单位 | dānwèi | unit (of measure); unit (group of people as a whole) | HSK 2 |
| 各位 | gèwèi | everybody; all (guests, colleagues etc) | HSK 3 |
| 位置 | wèizhì | position; place | HSK 4 |
| 地位 | dìwèi | position; status | HSK 4 |
| 位于 | wèiyú | to be located at; to be situated at | HSK 4 |
| 职位 | zhíwèi | position; post; job | HSK 5 |
| 部位 | bùwèi | part (esp. of the body, but also of a vegetable, e.g. the root, or a garment, e.g. the sle | HSK 5 |
| 学位 | xuéwèi | academic degree; place in school | HSK 5 |
| 定位 | dìngwèi | to orientate; to position | HSK 6 |
| 诸位 | zhūwèi | (pron) everyone; Ladies and Gentlemen | HSK 6 |
| 岗位 | gǎngwèi | a post; a job | HSK 6 |
| 位子 | wèizi | place; seat | HSK 7-9 |
| 到位 | dàowèi | to get to the intended location; to be in place | HSK 7-9 |
位 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Characters that contain 位
Learning 位 makes these easier to recognize and write.
Questions about 位
How many strokes are in 位?
位 is written with 7 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 位 mean?
位 (wèi) means position; location; place. A common word with it is 座位 (zuòwèi), meaning "seat".
How do you pronounce 位?
位 is pronounced wèi, in the fourth tone (falling).
What is the radical of 位?
The radical of 位 is 亻, which carries the idea of "man". Dictionaries list 位 under this radical.
Is 位 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 位 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 2.
What is the difference between 位 and 个 as measure words for people?
个 (gè) is neutral and works in almost any situation. 位 (wèi) is respectful and is common in service settings, for example a waiter asking 几位？(jǐ wèi?) How many people in your party?
How do you use 各位 when speaking to a group?
各位 (gèwèi) means everyone and is a polite way to address an audience. You often hear 各位朋友 (gèwèi péngyou) dear friends or 各位好 (gèwèi hǎo) hello everyone at the start of a speech.