修 meaning and stroke order
To decorate; to embellish; to repair
How to write 修, stroke by stroke
9 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
- 9
Meaning of 修
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- to decorate
- to embellish
- to repair
- to build
- to write
- to cultivate
How 修 is built
Phono-semantic (sound + meaning) character. Hair.
彡 gives the meaning and 攸 hints at the sound.
Radical: 亻 (man), shared by 277 characters on this site.
How to remember 修
修 is pictophonetic: 攸 (yōu) gives the sound, and 彡, three strokes meaning hair or decoration, gives the meaning. Picture someone neatly combing and trimming hair so it looks tidy, and you get the core ideas of fixing up, decorating, and improving.
修 is rarely used alone in modern speech except as a verb for fixing things, as in 修车 (xiū chē, to repair a car). It appears in many common words like 修理, 修改, 装修 and 维修. Example: 我的电脑坏了，要拿去修。(Wǒ de diànnǎo huài le, yào ná qù xiū.) My computer is broken, I need to take it to be fixed.
Common mistake: Learners often write 修 like 条 or forget the small vertical stroke between 亻 and 攵, and some leave out the three slanted strokes of 彡 at the bottom right. Also do not confuse 修改 (xiūgǎi, to revise text or plans) with 修理 (xiūlǐ, to repair objects).
Common words with 修
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 修改 | xiūgǎi | to amend; to alter | HSK 3 |
| 修理 | xiūlǐ | to repair; to fix | HSK 4 |
| 装修 | zhuāngxiū | to decorate; interior decoration | HSK 4 |
| 维修 | wéixiū | maintenance (of equipment); to protect and maintain | HSK 4 |
| 修复 | xiūfù | to restore; to renovate; (computing) to repair (a corrupted file etc) | HSK 5 |
| 修建 | xiūjiàn | to build; to construct | HSK 5 |
| 修养 | xiūyǎng | accomplishment; training | HSK 5 |
| 选修 | xuǎnxiū | (at a school) to take as an elective; an elective | HSK 5 |
| 修车 | xiū chē | to repair a bike (car etc) | HSK 6 |
| 必修 | bìxiū | (of an academic course) required; compulsory | HSK 6 |
| 修正 | xiūzhèng | to revise; to amend; to rectify | HSK 7-9 |
| 修补 | xiūbǔ | to mend | HSK 7-9 |
| 修订 | xiūdìng | to revise | HSK 7-9 |
| 进修 | jìnxiū | to undertake advanced studies; to take a refresher course | HSK 7-9 |
修 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Questions about 修
How many strokes are in 修?
修 is written with 9 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 修 mean?
修 (xiū) means to decorate; to embellish; to repair. A common word with it is 修改 (xiūgǎi), meaning "to amend; to alter".
How do you pronounce 修?
修 is pronounced xiū, in the first tone (high and level).
What is the radical of 修?
The radical of 修 is 亻, which carries the idea of "man". Dictionaries list 修 under this radical.
What is the traditional form of 修?
The traditional form of 修 is 脩. Traditional characters are used in Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau; 修 is the simplified form used in mainland China and Singapore.
Is 修 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 修 is part of the HSK 3 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 修理 and 维修?
修理 (xiūlǐ) is the everyday word for fixing something that is broken. 维修 (wéixiū) sounds more formal and covers ongoing maintenance and servicing, so you often see it on signs and in service departments.
Does 修 have a meaning related to study or self-improvement?
Yes. It can mean to cultivate or study, as in 修养 (xiūyǎng, personal cultivation) and 选修 (xuǎnxiū, to take an elective course). In Buddhist and Daoist contexts, 修行 (xiūxíng) means spiritual practice.