典 meaning and stroke order
Law, canon; scripture, classic; documentation
How to write 典, 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 典
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- canon
- law
- standard work of scholarship
- literary quotation or allusion
- ceremony
- to be in charge of
How 典 is built
Ideographic (compound meaning) character. Two hands 八 holding a book 冊.
Radical: 八 (eight), shared by 11 characters on this site.
How to remember 典
The etymology shows two hands 八 at the bottom holding up a book 冊 on top. In the modern shape the top looks like 曲 (qǔ), so picture two hands lifting an important book, a classic worth keeping.
典 (diǎn) rarely stands alone. It appears in words for books of authority and formal events, such as 字典 (zìdiǎn), 词典 (cídiǎn), 经典 (jīngdiǎn), and 典礼 (diǎnlǐ). Example: 这是一部经典电影。(Zhè shì yí bù jīngdiǎn diànyǐng.) This is a classic film.
Common mistake: Learners often write the top as 由 or 田 instead of 曲. The top part has two vertical strokes that rise above the frame. Also note that the tone is third tone, diǎn, the same sound as 点 (diǎn), so do not mix up the two characters in writing.
Common words with 典
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 字典 | zìdiǎn | Chinese character dictionary (containing entries for single characters, contrasted with a | HSK 2 |
| 词典 | cídiǎn | dictionary | HSK 2 |
| 经典 | jīngdiǎn | the classics; scriptures | HSK 4 |
| 典型 | diǎnxíng | model; typical case | HSK 4 |
| 典礼 | diǎnlǐ | ceremony; celebration | HSK 5 |
| 辞典 | cídiǎn | variant of 詞典|词典[ci2 dian3] | HSK 5 |
| 古典 | gǔdiǎn | classical | HSK 6 |
| 庆典 | qìngdiǎn | celebration | HSK 7-9 |
| 典范 | diǎnfàn | model; example | HSK 7-9 |
| 引经据典 | yǐnjīng-jùdiǎn | lit. to quote the classics; to quote chapter and verse (idiom) | HSK 7-9 |
| 恩典 | ēndiǎn | favor; grace | |
| 瑞典人 | ruìdiǎnrén | Swede | |
| 典狱长 | diǎnyùzhǎng | prison warden | |
| 毕业典礼 | bìyèdiǎnlǐ | graduation ceremony; commencement exercises |
典 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Questions about 典
How many strokes are in 典?
典 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 典 mean?
典 (diǎn) means law, canon; scripture, classic; documentation. A common word with it is 字典 (zìdiǎn), meaning "Chinese character dictionary (containing entries for single characters, contrasted with a ".
How do you pronounce 典?
典 is pronounced diǎn, in the third tone (dipping).
What is the radical of 典?
The radical of 典 is 八, which carries the idea of "eight". Dictionaries list 典 under this radical.
Is 典 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 典 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 字典 and 词典?
字典 (zìdiǎn) is a dictionary organized around single characters. 词典 (cídiǎn) focuses on words and phrases made of several characters. In everyday speech many people use them loosely.
Does 典型 mean typical in a positive or negative way?
典型 (diǎnxíng) can be neutral, positive, or negative depending on context. It can mean a model example to learn from, or simply a typical case, as in 典型的错误 (diǎnxíng de cuòwù), a typical mistake.