坚 meaning and stroke order
Hard, strong; firm, resolute
How to write 坚, stroke by stroke
7 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
Meaning of 坚
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- strong
- solid
- firm
- unyielding
- resolute
How 坚 is built
Components of the character.
Radical: 土 (soil), shared by 183 characters on this site.
How to remember 坚
The bottom of 坚 is 土 (tǔ, earth), and above it sits 又 (yòu, a hand) with a small extra piece on the left. Picture a hand pressing earth down until it becomes hard and firm.
坚 rarely appears alone in modern Chinese. It mostly shows up in two-character words about physical hardness or mental firmness, such as 坚持 (jiānchí), 坚强 (jiānqiáng) and 坚决 (jiānjué). Example: 我会坚持学中文。(Wǒ huì jiānchí xué Zhōngwén.) I will keep on studying Chinese.
Common mistake: Learners often mix up 坚决 (jiānjué) and 坚定 (jiāndìng). 坚决 stresses a firm action or attitude, as in 坚决反对 (firmly oppose). 坚定 describes a steady belief or stance, as in 坚定的信心 (unwavering confidence).
Common words with 坚
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 坚持 | jiānchí | to persevere with; to persist in | HSK 3 |
| 坚强 | jiānqiáng | staunch; strong | HSK 3 |
| 坚决 | jiānjué | firm; resolute; determined | HSK 3 |
| 坚固 | jiāngù | firm; firmly | HSK 4 |
| 坚定 | jiāndìng | firm; steady | HSK 5 |
| 坚信 | jiānxìn | to believe firmly; without any doubt | HSK 7-9 |
| 坚守 | jiānshǒu | to hold fast to; to stick to | HSK 7-9 |
| 坚硬 | jiānyìng | hard; solid | HSK 7-9 |
| 坚韧 | jiānrèn | tough and durable; tenacious | HSK 7-9 |
| 坚实 | jiānshí | firm and substantial; solid | HSK 7-9 |
| 坚持不懈 | jiānchí-bùxiè | (idiom) to persevere unremittingly; to keep going until the end | HSK 7-9 |
| 坚果 | jiānguǒ | nut | |
| 坚持下去 | jiānchíxiàqù | to press on | |
| 坚不可摧 | jiānbùkěcuī | (idiom) invulnerable; indestructible; impregnable |
坚 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Questions about 坚
How many strokes are in 坚?
坚 is written with 7 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 坚 mean?
坚 (jiān) means hard, strong; firm, resolute. A common word with it is 坚持 (jiānchí), meaning "to persevere with; to persist in".
How do you pronounce 坚?
坚 is pronounced jiān, in the first tone (high and level).
What is the radical of 坚?
The radical of 坚 is 土, which carries the idea of "soil". Dictionaries list 坚 under this radical.
What is the traditional form of 坚?
The traditional form of 坚 is 堅. Traditional characters are used in Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau; 坚 is the simplified form used in mainland China and Singapore.
Is 坚 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 坚 is part of the HSK 3 character list in the HSK 3.0 standard, and you are expected to write it by hand from HSK 3.
What is the difference between 坚强 and 坚硬?
坚强 (jiānqiáng) describes a strong, tough person or spirit. 坚硬 (jiānyìng) describes physically hard things like stone or metal. You would say 她很坚强 (she is strong), but 石头很坚硬 (the stone is hard).
How is 坚持 used in a sentence?
坚持 can take a verb or noun after it, meaning to keep doing something. For example, 坚持锻炼 (jiānchí duànliàn) means to keep exercising regularly. It can also stand alone, as in 再坚持一下 (hang in there a bit longer).