地 meaning and stroke order
-ly; structural particle: used before a verb or adjective, linking it to preceding modifying adverbial adjunct
How to write 地, 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 地
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- -ly
- structural particle: used before a verb or adjective, linking it to preceding modifying adverbial adjunct
- earth
- ground
- field
- place
- land
How 地 is built
Phono-semantic (sound + meaning) character. Earth.
土 gives the meaning and 也 hints at the sound.
Radical: 土 (soil), shared by 183 characters on this site.
How to remember 地
地 is built from 土 (tǔ, earth) on the left, which gives the meaning, and 也 (yě) on the right, which hints at the sound. Picture the ground 土 stretching out beside you: that is 地 (dì), the earth and land.
As dì, it means ground, land, or place and appears in many everyday words like 地方 (dìfang), 地图 (dìtú), and 地铁 (dìtiě). As neutral-tone de, it is a particle that links a describing word to the verb that follows, much like English -ly. Example: 他慢慢地走。(Tā mànmàn de zǒu.) He walks slowly.
Common mistake: Learners often mix up the three particles 的, 地, and 得, which all sound like de. Use 地 before a verb (认真地学习), 的 before a noun (我的书), and 得 after a verb to describe the result or degree (说得很好).
Common words with 地
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 地方 | dìfang | region; regional (away from the central administration) | HSK 1 |
| 地上 | dìshang | on the ground; on the floor | HSK 1 |
| 地点 | dìdiǎn | place; site | HSK 1 |
| 地图 | dìtú | map | HSK 1 |
| 地球 | dìqiú | the earth | HSK 2 |
| 地铁 | dìtiě | underground railway; subway; subway train | HSK 2 |
| 草地 | cǎodì | lawn; meadow | HSK 2 |
| 外地 | wàidì | parts of the country other than where one is | HSK 2 |
| 地铁站 | dìtiězhàn | subway station | HSK 2 |
| 地区 | dìqū | region; area (informal or geographical term); prefecture (in China's administrative system | HSK 3 |
| 当地 | dāngdì | local | HSK 3 |
| 各地 | gèdì | in all parts of (a country); various regions | HSK 3 |
| 土地 | tǔdì | land; soil | HSK 4 |
| 地址 | dìzhǐ | address | HSK 4 |
地 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Questions about 地
How many strokes are in 地?
地 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 地 mean?
地 (de) means -ly; structural particle: used before a verb or adjective, linking it to preceding modifying adverbial adjunct. A common word with it is 地方 (dìfang), meaning "region; regional (away from the central administration)".
How do you pronounce 地?
地 is pronounced de, in the neutral tone (short and light).
What is the radical of 地?
The radical of 地 is 土, which carries the idea of "soil". Dictionaries list 地 under this radical.
Is 地 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 地 is part of the HSK 1 character list in the HSK 3.0 standard, and you are expected to write it by hand from HSK 1.
How do I know whether 地 is read dì or de?
If 地 is part of a word about place or land, such as 地上 or 草地, read it dì. If it sits between an adverb-like word and a verb, as in 高兴地笑, it is the particle de in the neutral tone.
Is 地方 pronounced dìfang or dìfāng?
In everyday speech meaning "place", it is usually dìfang with a light second syllable. When it means "local" as opposed to central government, as in 地方政府, it is often read dìfāng.