字 meaning and stroke order
Letter; symbol; character
How to write 字, 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 字
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- letter
- symbol
- character
- word
- courtesy or style name traditionally given to males aged 20 in dynastic China
How 字 is built
Ideographic (compound meaning) character. A child 子 in a house 宀; 子 also provides the pronunciation.
Radical: 子 (son), shared by 30 characters on this site.
How to remember 字
Picture a child 子 (zǐ) sitting under a roof 宀, learning to write characters at home. The 子 on the bottom also hints at the sound, since 字 (zì) and 子 (zǐ) sound alike.
字 (zì) means a single written character or a written word, and it appears in many everyday words like 名字 (míngzi, name), 汉字 (Hànzì, Chinese characters) and 数字 (shùzì, number). Example: 这个字怎么读？(Zhège zì zěnme dú?) How do you read this character?
Common mistake: Learners often mix up 字 (zì) with 子 (zǐ) because they sound similar, so they write 名子 instead of 名字. Remember that 字 has the roof 宀 on top, and note the fourth tone, not the third.
Common words with 字
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 名字 | míngzi | name (of a person or thing) | HSK 1 |
| 汉字 | Hànzì | Chinese character(s) | HSK 1 |
| 数字 | shùzì | numeral; digit | HSK 2 |
| 字典 | zìdiǎn | Chinese character dictionary (containing entries for single characters, contrasted with a | HSK 2 |
| 文字 | wénzì | character; script | HSK 3 |
| 字母 | zìmǔ | letter (of the alphabet) | HSK 4 |
| 签字 | qiānzì | to sign (one's name); signature | HSK 5 |
| 识字 | shízì | to learn to read; able to read; literate | HSK 6 |
| 写字楼 | xiězìlóu | office building | HSK 6 |
| 写字台 | xiězìtái | writing desk | HSK 6 |
| 字幕 | zìmù | subtitles; captions (of a movie etc) | HSK 7-9 |
| 金字塔 | jīnzìtǎ | pyramid (building or structure) | HSK 7-9 |
| 字眼 | zìyǎn | wording | HSK 7-9 |
| 十字路口 | shízì lùkǒu | crossroads; intersection | HSK 7-9 |
字 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Questions about 字
How many strokes are in 字?
字 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 字 mean?
字 (zì) means letter; symbol; character. A common word with it is 名字 (míngzi), meaning "name (of a person or thing)".
How do you pronounce 字?
字 is pronounced zì, in the fourth tone (falling).
What is the radical of 字?
The radical of 字 is 子, which carries the idea of "son". Dictionaries list 字 under this radical.
Is 字 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 字 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.
Why is 名字 pronounced míngzi and not míngzì?
In everyday speech the 字 in 名字 is usually said with a light, neutral tone, so it sounds like míngzi. You may still hear míngzì in careful speech, and both are understood.
What is the old meaning of 字 as a person's name?
In dynastic China, a man around age 20 was traditionally given a courtesy or style name called his 字. It was used by peers in place of his given name as a sign of respect, and this custom is mostly historical today.