依 meaning and stroke order
To depend on; to comply with or listen to sb; according to
How to write 依, stroke by stroke
8 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
- 6
- 7
- 8
Meaning of 依
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- to depend on
- to comply with or listen to sb
- according to
- in the light of
How 依 is built
Phono-semantic (sound + meaning) character. Person.
亻 gives the meaning and 衣 hints at the sound.
Radical: 亻 (man), shared by 277 characters on this site.
How to remember 依
依 is a person 亻 next to 衣 (yī, clothing), which also gives the sound. Picture a person leaning on and depending on their clothes to keep warm, so 依 means to rely on.
依 rarely stands alone in modern speech and mostly appears in words like 依靠 (yīkào, rely on), 依然 (yīrán, still) and 依照 (yīzhào, according to). In formal or written Chinese it can mean 'according to' by itself. Example: 他依然很忙。(Tā yīrán hěn máng.) He is still very busy.
Common mistake: Learners sometimes write 衣 alone or confuse 依 with 衣 because they share the sound yī. Remember that 衣 is clothing and 依 needs the person radical 亻 for 'rely on' or 'according to'.
Common words with 依
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 依然 | yīrán | still; as before | HSK 4 |
| 依靠 | yīkào | to rely on; to depend on | HSK 4 |
| 依旧 | yījiù | as before; still; to remain the same | HSK 5 |
| 依据 | yījù | according to; basis | HSK 5 |
| 依照 | yīzhào | according to; in light of | HSK 5 |
| 依法 | yīfǎ | legal (proceedings); according to law | HSK 5 |
| 依赖 | yīlài | to depend on; to be dependent on | HSK 6 |
| 依次 | yīcì | in order; in succession | HSK 6 |
| 相依为命 | xiāngyī-wéimìng | mutually dependent for life (idiom); to rely upon one another for survival; interdependent | HSK 7-9 |
| 依托 | yītuō | to rely on; to depend on | HSK 7-9 |
| 依依不舍 | yīyī-bùshě | reluctant to part (idiom); broken-hearted at having to leave | HSK 7-9 |
| 依我看 | yīwǒkàn | in my opinion | |
| 皈依 | guīyī | to convert to (a religion) | |
| 依偎 | yīwēi | to nestle against; to snuggle up to |
依 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Questions about 依
How many strokes are in 依?
依 is written with 8 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 依 mean?
依 (yī) means to depend on; to comply with or listen to sb; according to. A common word with it is 依然 (yīrán), meaning "still; as before".
How do you pronounce 依?
依 is pronounced yī, in the first tone (high and level).
What is the radical of 依?
The radical of 依 is 亻, which carries the idea of "man". Dictionaries list 依 under this radical.
Is 依 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 依 is part of the HSK 4 character list in the HSK 3.0 standard, and you are expected to write it by hand from HSK 3.
What is the difference between 依然 and 依旧?
Both mean 'still' or 'as before' and are often interchangeable. 依旧 can also work as a verb meaning 'to remain the same', as in 风景依旧 (the scenery is unchanged).
Can 依 mean 'to give in to someone'?
Yes. In spoken Chinese 依 can mean to comply with or go along with someone, for example 我不依你 (I won't go along with you). 依你 can also mean 'have it your way'.