守 meaning and stroke order
To guard; to defend; to keep watch
How to write 守, 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 守
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- to guard
- to defend
- to keep watch
- to abide by the law
- to observe (rules or ritual)
- nearby
How 守 is built
Ideographic (compound meaning) character. Keeping something 寸 within one's walls 宀.
Radical: 宀 (roof), shared by 67 characters on this site.
How to remember 守
守 is a roof 宀 over a hand measure 寸. Picture keeping something 寸 safe under your own roof 宀, and you are guarding it.
守 (shǒu) means to guard or defend, and also to keep or obey rules, as in 遵守 (zūnshǒu). It appears in many common words like 防守 (fángshǒu) and 守护 (shǒuhù). Example: 我们要遵守交通规则。(Wǒmen yào zūnshǒu jiāotōng guīzé.) We must obey traffic rules.
Common mistake: Learners often mix up 守 (shǒu) with 字 (zì), which also has 宀 on top but 子 below. Watch the tone too: 守 is third tone, not the first tone of 收 (shōu, to receive).
Common words with 守
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 保守 | bǎoshǒu | conservative; to guard | HSK 4 |
| 遵守 | zūnshǒu | to comply with; to abide by; to respect (an agreement) | HSK 5 |
| 防守 | fángshǒu | to defend; to protect (against) | HSK 6 |
| 守护 | shǒuhù | to guard; to protect | HSK 7-9 |
| 坚守 | jiānshǒu | to hold fast to; to stick to | HSK 7-9 |
| 守候 | shǒuhòu | to wait for; to expect | HSK 7-9 |
| 守株待兔 | shǒuzhū-dàitù | lit. to guard a tree-stump, waiting for rabbits (idiom); to wait idly for opportunities | HSK 7-9 |
| 守卫 | shǒuwèi | to guard; to defend | |
| 看守 | kānshǒu | to guard; to watch over | |
| 守住 | shǒuzhu | to hold on to; to defend | |
| 守则 | shǒuzé | rules; regulations | |
| 守口如瓶 | shǒukǒurúpíng | lit. to guard one's mouth like a closed bottle (idiom); tight-lipped; reticent | |
| 守护神 | shǒuhùshén | protector God; patron saint | |
| 守规矩 | shǒuguīju | to behave oneself; to abide by the rules |
守 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Characters that contain 守
Learning 守 makes these easier to recognize and write.
Questions about 守
How many strokes are in 守?
守 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 守 mean?
守 (shǒu) means to guard; to defend; to keep watch. A common word with it is 保守 (bǎoshǒu), meaning "conservative; to guard".
How do you pronounce 守?
守 is pronounced shǒu, in the third tone (dipping).
What is the radical of 守?
The radical of 守 is 宀, which carries the idea of "roof". Dictionaries list 守 under this radical.
Is 守 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 守 is part of the HSK 4 character list in the HSK 3.0 standard, and you are expected to write it by hand from HSK 3.
What does 守株待兔 mean?
It literally means guarding a tree stump and waiting for rabbits. It comes from a story about a farmer who saw a rabbit crash into a stump and then waited there for more. It describes waiting idly for luck instead of working.
Is 保守 a positive or negative word?
保守 (bǎoshǒu) can mean to keep something safe, like 保守秘密 (keep a secret), which is neutral. When describing people or ideas, it means conservative or cautious, which can sound slightly negative depending on context.