咨 meaning and stroke order
To inquire, to consult, to discuss; to plan
How to write 咨, 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
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- 9
Meaning of 咨
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- (bound form) to consult; to seek advice; to take counsel
- variant of 諮|咨[zi1]
- used in 咨文[zi1 wen2]
- used in 咨嗟[zi1 jie1]
How 咨 is built
Phono-semantic (sound + meaning) character. Mouth.
口 gives the meaning and 次 hints at the sound.
Radical: 口 (mouth), shared by 428 characters on this site.
How to remember 咨
咨 is 次 (cì) sitting on top of 口 (kǒu, mouth). Picture opening your mouth again and again, asking one question after another, to consult someone.
咨 is a bound form, so it almost never appears alone. You will mostly see it in 咨询 (zīxún), which is common in service and business settings. Example: 我想咨询一下签证的问题。(Wǒ xiǎng zīxún yíxià qiānzhèng de wèntí.) I would like to ask about a visa issue.
Common mistake: Learners often read 咨 as cì because of the 次 on top, but the correct sound is zī with a first tone. Also do not confuse it with 姿 (zī, posture), which has 女 at the bottom instead of 口.
Common words with 咨
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 咨询 | zīxún | to inquire; to consult; to seek advice from | HSK 6 |
咨 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Characters that contain 咨
Learning 咨 makes these easier to recognize and write.
Questions about 咨
How many strokes are in 咨?
咨 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 咨 mean?
咨 (zī) means to inquire, to consult, to discuss; to plan. A common word with it is 咨询 (zīxún), meaning "to inquire; to consult; to seek advice from".
How do you pronounce 咨?
咨 is pronounced zī, in the first tone (high and level).
What is the radical of 咨?
The radical of 咨 is 口, which carries the idea of "mouth". Dictionaries list 咨 under this radical.
What is the traditional form of 咨?
The traditional form of 咨 is 諮. Traditional characters are used in Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau; 咨 is the simplified form used in mainland China and Singapore.
Is 咨 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 咨 is part of the HSK 6 character list in the HSK 3.0 standard.
What is the difference between 咨询 and 问?
问 (wèn) is the everyday word for asking anything. 咨询 is more formal and suggests seeking advice or information from an expert or a service, such as a lawyer, a help desk, or a customer service line.
What does 咨询公司 mean?
咨询公司 (zīxún gōngsī) means a consulting firm. 咨询 is also used in words like 心理咨询 (xīnlǐ zīxún, psychological counseling) and 咨询台 (zīxún tái, information desk).