偕 meaning and stroke order
Together, accompanied by; in order
How to write 偕, stroke by stroke
11 strokes in order. Each box adds the next stroke in red. Write top to bottom and left to right, and finish enclosing strokes last.
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Meaning of 偕
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- in company with
How 偕 is built
Phono-semantic (sound + meaning) character. Person.
亻 gives the meaning and 皆 hints at the sound.
Radical: 亻 (man), shared by 277 characters on this site.
How to remember 偕
偕 is a person 亻 next to 皆 (jiē), which means all or everyone. Picture a person joining everyone so they all go together, and remember that 皆 also gives the sound.
偕 is a formal, literary word meaning to be in company with someone. You mostly meet it in set phrases and written Chinese, not in casual speech. The best-known example is the wedding wish 祝你们白头偕老 (zhù nǐmen báitóu xiélǎo), "May you grow old together."
Common mistake: Learners often read 偕 as jiē because of its phonetic part 皆, but it is pronounced xié with a rising second tone. Also do not mix it up with 楷 (kǎi, model script), which has 木 on the left instead of 亻.
Common words with 偕
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 白头偕老 | báitóuxiélǎo | (idiom) (of a married couple) to live together until old age; to remain lifelong companion |
偕 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Questions about 偕
How many strokes are in 偕?
偕 is written with 11 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 偕 mean?
偕 (xié) means together, accompanied by; in order. A common word with it is 白头偕老 (báitóuxiélǎo), meaning "(idiom) (of a married couple) to live together until old age; to remain lifelong companion".
How do you pronounce 偕?
偕 is pronounced xié, in the second tone (rising).
What is the radical of 偕?
The radical of 偕 is 亻, which carries the idea of "man". Dictionaries list 偕 under this radical.
Can I use 偕 instead of 一起 in everyday speech?
Not really. 偕 sounds formal and old-fashioned, so in daily conversation use 一起 (yìqǐ) or 和……一起. Keep 偕 for idioms, writing, and formal occasions.
What other words use 偕?
Besides 白头偕老, you may see 偕同 (xiétóng), meaning to be accompanied by, in formal or news writing. For example, 他偕同妻子出席 means he attended together with his wife.