子 meaning and stroke order
Noun suffix, as in 椅子[yi3 zi5] "chair"
How to write 子, stroke by stroke
3 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
Meaning of 子
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- noun suffix, as in 椅子[yi3 zi5] "chair"
- son
- child
- seed
- egg
- small thing
- 1st earthly branch: 11 p.m.–1 a.m., midnight, 11th solar month (7th December to 5th January), year of the rat
How 子 is built
Pictographic character. A child in a wrap, with outstretched arms but bundled legs.
How to remember 子
子 is a picture of a baby wrapped up tight. The top is the head, the horizontal stroke 一 is the outstretched arms, and the hook below is the bundled legs. Think of a swaddled child, and you have 子 (zǐ), son or child.
As a full word, 子 (zǐ) means child or son, mostly in compounds like 儿子 (érzi) and 孩子 (háizi). Very often it is just a neutral-tone noun suffix that adds no meaning, as in 桌子, 杯子 and 房子. Example: 我的杯子在桌子上。(Wǒ de bēizi zài zhuōzi shang.) My cup is on the table.
Common mistake: Learners often confuse 子 with 了 (le). 了 has no horizontal stroke, while 子 has the 一 crossing through it. Also, do not stress the suffix 子 in words like 椅子 (yǐzi). It is light and neutral, not a full third tone.
Common words with 子
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 孩子 | háizi | child | HSK 1 |
| 儿子 | érzi | son | HSK 1 |
| 房子 | fángzi | house; building (single- or two-story) | HSK 1 |
| 桌子 | zhuōzi | table; desk | HSK 1 |
| 杯子 | bēizi | cup; glass | HSK 1 |
| 包子 | bāozi | baozi; bao (steamed stuffed bun) | HSK 1 |
| 本子 | běnzi | book; notebook | HSK 1 |
| 样子 | yàngzi | appearance; manner | HSK 2 |
| 日子 | rìzi | day; a (calendar) date | HSK 2 |
| 椅子 | yǐzi | chair | HSK 2 |
| 瓶子 | píngzi | bottle | HSK 2 |
| 例子 | lìzi | case; (for) instance | HSK 2 |
| 院子 | yuànzi | courtyard; garden | HSK 2 |
| 句子 | jùzi | sentence | HSK 2 |
子 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Characters that contain 子
Learning 子 makes these easier to recognize and write.
Questions about 子
How many strokes are in 子?
子 is written with 3 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 子 mean?
子 (zi) means noun suffix, as in 椅子[yi3 zi5] "chair". A common word with it is 孩子 (háizi), meaning "child".
How do you pronounce 子?
子 is pronounced zi, in the neutral tone (short and light).
Is 子 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 子 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 when 子 is pronounced zǐ and when it is neutral zi?
When 子 is a meaningless noun suffix at the end of a word, like 包子 (bāozi) or 本子 (běnzi), it is neutral. When it carries real meaning, such as child, seed or one of the earthly branches, it is third tone zǐ, as in 子女 (zǐnǚ) children.
What does 子 mean in the Chinese zodiac and time system?
子 is the first of the twelve earthly branches. It stands for the year of the rat and for the double hour from 11 p.m. to 1 a.m., which is why midnight is called 子夜 (zǐyè).