又 meaning and stroke order
(once) again; also; both... and...
How to write 又, stroke by stroke
2 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
Meaning of 又
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- (once) again
- also
- both... and...
- and yet
- (used for emphasis) anyway
How 又 is built
Pictographic character. A right hand, representing a pair; compare 左.
How to remember 又
又 (yòu) is a picture of a right hand, with a few fingers and an arm. Picture that hand reaching out again and again to grab one more thing, and you will remember "again" and "also".
又 usually describes something that has already happened again, and it goes before the verb. It also forms the pattern 又...又... meaning "both... and...". Example: 他又迟到了。(Tā yòu chídào le.) He was late again.
Common mistake: Learners often use 又 for future repetition, but 又 is mainly for repetition that already happened. For something that will happen again, use 再 (zài), as in 明天再来 (míngtiān zài lái), "come again tomorrow". Also avoid confusing 又 with the similar-looking 叉 (chā), which has an extra dot inside.
Common words with 又
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 又名 | yòumíng | also known as; alternative name |
又 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Characters that contain 又
Learning 又 makes these easier to recognize and write.
Questions about 又
How many strokes are in 又?
又 is written with 2 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 又 mean?
又 (yòu) means (once) again; also; both... and.... A common word with it is 又名 (yòumíng), meaning "also known as; alternative name".
How do you pronounce 又?
又 is pronounced yòu, in the fourth tone (falling).
Is 又 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 又 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 1.
How does 又...又... work?
Put an adjective or verb after each 又 to say something has two qualities at once. For example, 这个苹果又大又甜 (zhège píngguǒ yòu dà yòu tián) means "this apple is both big and sweet." The two parts usually have the same tone of meaning, both positive or both negative.
Why does 又 appear in so many other characters?
Because it originally shows a hand, 又 often appears as a component in characters connected with hand actions. You can see it in characters like 取 (qǔ, to take) and 友 (yǒu, friend).