兹 meaning and stroke order
(literary) this; (literary) now; (literary) year
How to write 兹, 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 兹
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- (literary) this
- (literary) now
- (literary) year
- used in 龜茲|龟兹[Qiu1 ci2]
How 兹 is built
Components of the character.
Radical: 艹 (grass), shared by 421 characters on this site.
How to remember 兹
Picture 八 (bā) on top like two little grass blades, a flat line 一 below them, and two tiny threads 幺幺 hanging underneath. Think of it as pointing right at the threads in front of you: this one, here, now.
As a word on its own, 兹 (zī) is literary and shows up mostly in formal notices and set phrases like 兹定于 (zī dìng yú, it is hereby scheduled for). In everyday speech you will meet it most in sound loans such as 华尔兹 (huá'ěrzī, waltz) and 赫兹 (Hèzī, hertz). Example: 兹定于明天开会。(Zī dìng yú míngtiān kāihuì.) The meeting is hereby set for tomorrow.
Common mistake: Learners often confuse 兹 with 慈 (cí, kind), which simply adds 心 underneath, or with 滋 (zī, to nourish), which adds water 氵 on the left. Also remember the top is 八 in simplified 兹, not the grass radical 艹 seen in traditional 茲.
Common words with 兹
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 华尔兹 | huá'ěrzī | (loanword) waltz (dance) | |
| 赫兹 | Hèzī | hertz (Hz), unit of frequency |
兹 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Characters that contain 兹
Learning 兹 makes these easier to recognize and write.
Questions about 兹
How many strokes are in 兹?
兹 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 兹 mean?
兹 (zī) means (literary) this; (literary) now; (literary) year. A common word with it is 华尔兹 (huá'ěrzī), meaning "(loanword) waltz (dance)".
How do you pronounce 兹?
兹 is pronounced zī, in the first tone (high and level).
What is the radical of 兹?
The radical of 兹 is 艹, which carries the idea of "grass". Dictionaries list 兹 under this radical.
What is the traditional form of 兹?
The traditional form of 兹 is 茲. Traditional characters are used in Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau; 兹 is the simplified form used in mainland China and Singapore.
Is 兹 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 兹 is part of the HSK 7-9 character list in the HSK 3.0 standard.
Why is 兹 sometimes read cí?
The reading cí is used only in the historical place name 龟兹 (Qiūcí), an ancient kingdom in what is now Xinjiang. Everywhere else, read it zī.
Can I use 兹 to mean "this" in normal conversation?
Not really. In speech, use 这 (zhè) for "this" and 现在 (xiànzài) for "now". 兹 sounds formal or classical and fits official documents and fixed expressions like 念兹在兹 (niàn zī zài zī, to keep something constantly in mind).