執 meaning and stroke order
To execute; to grasp, to hold; to keep; to sieze, to detain
How to write 執, stroke by stroke
11 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
- 9
- 10
- 11
Meaning of 執
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- to execute (a plan)
- to grasp
How 執 is built
Ideographic (compound meaning) character. A hand 幸 clutching a pebble 丸.
Radical: 土 (soil), shared by 183 characters on this site.
How to remember 執
The etymology hint describes 幸 on the left as a hand and 丸 (wán, a small ball or pebble) on the right. Picture a hand clutching a pebble tightly, and you have 執 (zhí), to grasp or hold on to something.
執 is the traditional form of 执. It rarely stands alone in modern speech and mostly appears in words like 執行 (zhíxíng, to carry out) and 固執 (gùzhi, stubborn). Example: 我們要執行這個計劃。(Wǒmen yào zhíxíng zhège jìhuà.) We need to carry out this plan.
Common mistake: Learners often confuse 執 with 熱 (rè, hot), which has 埶 on top of four dots, or with 勢 (shì, power), which has 力 at the bottom. Also note that in 固執 the second syllable is usually read in the neutral tone, gùzhi.
Common words with 執
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 執行 | zhíxíng | to implement; to carry out | HSK 5 |
| 固執 | gùzhi | obstinate; stubborn | HSK 7-9 |
| 執照 | zhízhào | license; permit | HSK 7-9 |
| 爭執 | zhēngzhí | to dispute; to disagree | HSK 7-9 |
| 執法 | zhífǎ | to enforce a law; law enforcement | HSK 7-9 |
| 執著 | zhízhuó | dedicated; devoted; persistent; to persist in; to cling to | HSK 7-9 |
| 執意 | zhíyì | to be determined to; to insist on | HSK 7-9 |
| 偏執 | piānzhí | extreme and inflexible; fixated; stubborn in clinging to a notion; (psychology) paranoid | |
| 執勤 | zhíqín | to be on duty (of a security guard etc) | |
| 執政 | zhízhèng | to hold power; in office | |
| 執事 | zhíshì | to perform one's job; attendant | |
| 偏執狂 | piānzhíkuáng | paranoia; monomania | |
| 執導 | zhídǎo | to direct (a film, play etc) | |
| 駕駛執照 | jiàshǐzhízhào | driver's license |
Characters that contain 執
Learning 執 makes these easier to recognize and write.
Questions about 執
How many strokes are in 執?
執 is written with 11 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 執 mean?
執 (zhí) means to execute; to grasp, to hold; to keep; to sieze, to detain. A common word with it is 执行 (zhíxíng), meaning "to implement; to carry out".
How do you pronounce 執?
執 is pronounced zhí, in the second tone (rising).
What is the radical of 執?
The radical of 執 is 土, which carries the idea of "soil". Dictionaries list 執 under this radical.
What is the simplified form of 執?
執 is a traditional character. Its simplified form is 执, used in mainland China and Singapore.
What is the difference between 執著 and 固執?
執著 (zhízhuó) can be positive, meaning devoted or persistent in pursuing a goal. 固執 (gùzhi) is usually negative and means stubborn or unwilling to change your mind.
How do you say driver's license with this character?
Use 駕駛執照 (jiàshǐ zhízhào), often shortened to 駕照 (jiàzhào). 執照 by itself means any official license or permit.