周 meaning and stroke order
Week; weekly; variant of 周[zhou1]
How to write 周, 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 周
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- to make a circuit
- to circle
- circle
- circumference
- lap
- cycle
How 周 is built
Ideographic (compound meaning) character. Border 冂 around land 土 with a well 口.
Radical: 口 (mouth), shared by 428 characters on this site.
How to remember 周
Picture a border 冂 drawn all the way around a plot of land 土 with a well 口 inside. A boundary that goes around something gives you the idea of a circle, a full lap, or a complete cycle like a week.
In daily speech 周 (zhōu) most often means week, as in 周末 (zhōumò) weekend, 上周 (shàng zhōu) last week, and 下周 (xià zhōu) next week. It also appears in words about going around, such as 周围 (zhōuwéi) surroundings and 四周 (sìzhōu) all around. Example: 我们下周见。(Wǒmen xià zhōu jiàn.) See you next week.
Common mistake: Learners often confuse 周 with 用 (yòng, to use) or 同 (tóng, same) because all three sit inside a 冂 frame. Remember that 周 has 土 stacked on top of 口 inside the frame.
Common words with 周
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 周末 | zhōumò | weekend | HSK 2 |
| 下周 | xià zhōu | next week | HSK 2 |
| 上周 | shàng zhōu | last week | HSK 2 |
| 周年 | zhōunián | anniversary; annual | HSK 2 |
| 周围 | zhōuwéi | environs; surroundings; periphery | HSK 3 |
| 四周 | sìzhōu | all around | HSK 5 |
| 周期 | zhōuqī | period; cycle | HSK 5 |
| 周到 | zhōudào | thoughtful; considerate | HSK 7-9 |
| 周边 | zhōubiān | periphery; rim; perimeter; surroundings; (computing) (attributive) peripheral | HSK 7-9 |
| 众所周知 | zhòngsuǒzhōuzhī | (idiom) as everyone knows | HSK 7-9 |
| 周旋 | zhōuxuán | to mix with others; to socialize | HSK 7-9 |
| 周密 | zhōumì | careful; thorough; meticulous | HSK 7-9 |
| 一周 | yīzhōu | one week; all the way around | |
| 每周 | měizhōu | every week |
周 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Characters that contain 周
Learning 周 makes these easier to recognize and write.
Questions about 周
How many strokes are in 周?
周 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 周 mean?
周 (zhōu) means week; weekly; variant of 周[zhou1]. A common word with it is 周末 (zhōumò), meaning "weekend".
How do you pronounce 周?
周 is pronounced zhōu, in the first tone (high and level).
What is the radical of 周?
The radical of 周 is 口, which carries the idea of "mouth". Dictionaries list 周 under this radical.
What is the traditional form of 周?
The traditional form of 周 is 週. Traditional characters are used in Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau; 周 is the simplified form used in mainland China and Singapore.
Is 周 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 周 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 周 and 星期 for saying week?
Both mean week. 星期 (xīngqī) is very common in speech, while 周 is shorter and appears a lot in writing and set phrases like 周末. For days of the week you can say 星期一 or 周一 for Monday.
Does 周到 mean arriving at a week?
No. 周到 (zhōudào) means thoughtful or considerate, as if care reaches all the way around. For example, 他想得很周到 means he thought of everything.