它 meaning and stroke order
It
How to write 它, stroke by stroke
5 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
Meaning of 它
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- it
- it (pronoun for an animal)
How 它 is built
Components of the character.
Radical: 宀 (roof), shared by 67 characters on this site.
How to remember 它
Picture a roof 宀 with a small creature 匕 curled up under it. The little thing sheltering under your roof is not a person, so you call it "it": 它 (tā).
它 is the pronoun for animals, objects, and ideas, and 它们 (tāmen) is the plural. In speech it sounds exactly like 他 (he) and 她 (she), so context tells you who or what is meant. Example: 我的猫很胖，它喜欢睡觉。(Wǒ de māo hěn pàng, tā xǐhuan shuìjiào.) My cat is fat, it likes to sleep.
Common mistake: Learners often write 他 (he) or 她 (she) when they mean an animal or thing. 他 and 她 take a person radical 亻 or 女 on the left, while 它 has the roof 宀 on top. Also, Chinese often drops 它 for objects where English needs "it", so 我买了 (I bought it) is more natural than 我买了它 in many cases.
Common words with 它
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
它 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Characters that contain 它
Learning 它 makes these easier to recognize and write.
Questions about 它
How many strokes are in 它?
它 is written with 5 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 它 mean?
它 (tā) means it. A common word with it is 它们 (tāmen), meaning "they; them".
How do you pronounce 它?
它 is pronounced tā, in the first tone (high and level).
What is the radical of 它?
The radical of 它 is 宀, which carries the idea of "roof". Dictionaries list 它 under this radical.
What is the traditional form of 它?
The traditional form of 它 is 牠. Traditional characters are used in Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau; 它 is the simplified form used in mainland China and Singapore.
Is 它 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 它 is part of the HSK 2 character list in the HSK 3.0 standard, and you are expected to write it by hand from HSK 2.
Is there a difference between 其它 and 其他?
Both mean "other" and are pronounced qítā. 其他 is the standard and more common form today, and it works for people and things, while 其它 is sometimes used only for things.
What does 管它 mean in casual speech?
管它 (guǎntā) means "never mind it" or "regardless". People often say 管它呢 (guǎn tā ne) to mean "who cares, forget about it".