存 meaning and stroke order
To exist; to deposit; to store
How to write 存, 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 存
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- to exist
- to deposit
- to store
- to keep
- to survive
How 存 is built
Phono-semantic (sound + meaning) character. Seed.
子 gives the meaning and 才 hints at the sound.
Radical: 子 (son), shared by 30 characters on this site.
How to remember 存
存 is built from 才 (cái), which gives the sound, and 子 (zǐ, child), which gives the meaning. The etymology hint is "seed": picture a child or seed tucked safely inside, kept alive so it can survive and grow.
存 appears in words about existing and surviving, like 存在 (cúnzài) and 生存 (shēngcún). It also appears in everyday words for keeping things, like 保存 (bǎocún, to save a file) and 存钱 (cún qián, to save money). Example: 我每个月都存一点钱。(Wǒ měi gè yuè dōu cún yìdiǎn qián.) I save a little money every month.
Common mistake: Learners often confuse 存 (cún) with 在 (zài), because both have the same top-left frame. 在 has 土 inside and 存 has 子 inside. Also say cún with a rising second tone. Do not use the third tone or the flat first tone.
Common words with 存
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 存在 | cúnzài | to exist; to be | HSK 3 |
| 生存 | shēngcún | to exist; to survive | HSK 3 |
| 保存 | bǎocún | to conserve; to preserve; to keep; to store; (computing) to save (a file etc) | HSK 3 |
| 存款 | cúnkuǎn | to deposit money (in a bank etc); bank savings | HSK 5 |
| 储存 | chǔcún | stockpile; to store | HSK 6 |
| 幸存 | xìngcún | to survive (a disaster) | HSK 7-9 |
| 存放 | cúnfàng | to deposit; to store | HSK 7-9 |
| 存心 | cúnxīn | deliberately | HSK 7-9 |
| 内存 | nèicún | internal storage; computer memory | HSK 7-9 |
| 存折 | cúnzhé | passbook; bankbook | HSK 7-9 |
| 幸存者 | xìngcúnzhě | survivor | |
| 存活 | cúnhuó | to survive (a serious accident); survival | |
| 仅存 | jǐncún | to be the only one(s) remaining; to be the only one(s) surviving | |
| 存钱 | cúnqián | to deposit money; to save money |
存 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Characters that contain 存
Learning 存 makes these easier to recognize and write.
Questions about 存
How many strokes are in 存?
存 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 存 mean?
存 (cún) means to exist; to deposit; to store. A common word with it is 存在 (cúnzài), meaning "to exist; to be".
How do you pronounce 存?
存 is pronounced cún, in the second tone (rising).
What is the radical of 存?
The radical of 存 is 子, which carries the idea of "son". Dictionaries list 存 under this radical.
Is 存 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 存 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 存 and 保存?
存 on its own is common in speech for depositing or storing something, as in 存钱 (cún qián). 保存 (bǎocún) stresses preserving something so it lasts, and it is the usual word for saving a file on a computer.
Does 存心 mean something positive?
Not usually. 存心 (cúnxīn) means doing something deliberately, and it often describes bad intent, as in 他是存心的 (tā shì cúnxīn de), he did it on purpose.