协 meaning and stroke order
To assist; to cooperate, to join; to harmonize
How to write 协, stroke by stroke
6 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
Meaning of 协
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- to cooperate
- to harmonize
- to help
- to assist
- to join
How 协 is built
Phono-semantic (sound + meaning) character. Manage.
办 gives the meaning and 十 hints at the sound.
Radical: 十 (ten), shared by 23 characters on this site.
How to remember 协
协 is made of 十 (shí, ten) next to 办 (bàn, to manage or handle). Picture ten people managing a task together, and you get the idea of cooperating and helping.
协 rarely appears alone in modern Chinese. It shows up in formal words about working together, such as 协助 (xiézhù), 协商 (xiéshāng), and 协议 (xiéyì). Example: 双方签了协议。(Shuāngfāng qiān le xiéyì.) Both sides signed an agreement.
Common mistake: Learners often write the right side as 力 (lì) or 为 (wèi) instead of 办, forgetting the two dots on either side of 力. Another common slip is reading it as xiē, like 些, when the tone is actually second tone, xié.
Common words with 协
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 协议 | xiéyì | agreement; pact | HSK 5 |
| 协议书 | xiéyìshū | contract; protocol | HSK 5 |
| 协助 | xiézhù | to provide assistance; to aid | HSK 6 |
| 协会 | xiéhuì | an association; a society | HSK 6 |
| 协调 | xiétiáo | to coordinate; to harmonize | HSK 6 |
| 协商 | xiéshāng | to consult with; to talk things over | HSK 6 |
| 妥协 | tuǒxié | to compromise; to reach terms | HSK 7-9 |
| 协定 | xiédìng | agreement; accord | HSK 7-9 |
| 齐心协力 | qíxīn-xiélì | to work with a common purpose (idiom); to make concerted efforts; to pull together | HSK 7-9 |
| 协作 | xiézuò | cooperation; coordination | HSK 7-9 |
| 协同 | xiétóng | to cooperate; in coordination with | HSK 7-9 |
| 达成协议 | dáchéngxiéyì | to reach agreement | |
| 同心协力 | tóngxīnxiélì | to work with a common purpose (idiom); to make concerted efforts; to pull together | |
| 协力 | xiélì | to unite in common effort |
协 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Questions about 协
How many strokes are in 协?
协 is written with 6 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 协 mean?
协 (xié) means to assist; to cooperate, to join; to harmonize. A common word with it is 协议 (xiéyì), meaning "agreement; pact".
How do you pronounce 协?
协 is pronounced xié, in the second tone (rising).
What is the radical of 协?
The radical of 协 is 十, which carries the idea of "ten". Dictionaries list 协 under this radical.
What is the traditional form of 协?
The traditional form of 协 is 協. Traditional characters are used in Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau; 协 is the simplified form used in mainland China and Singapore.
Is 协 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 协 is part of the HSK 5 character list in the HSK 3.0 standard.
What is the difference between 协助 and 帮助?
Both mean to help, but 帮助 (bāngzhù) is everyday and general. 协助 (xiézhù) is more formal and suggests assisting someone in their work, often in official or professional contexts, like police asking the public to 协助调查 (assist an investigation).
Does 妥协 have a negative meaning?
妥协 (tuǒxié) means to compromise or reach terms. It can be neutral, as in reaching a deal, but it can also suggest giving in on principles, depending on context, much like English compromise.