射 meaning and stroke order
To shoot; to launch; to allude to
How to write 射, stroke by stroke
10 strokes in order. Each box adds the next stroke in red. Write top to bottom and left to right, and finish enclosing strokes last.
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Meaning of 射
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- to shoot
- to launch
- to allude to
- radio- (chemistry)
- old variant of 射[she4]
How 射 is built
Pictographic character. A bow 身 being drawn by a hand 寸.
Radical: 寸 (inch), shared by 18 characters on this site.
How to remember 射
The left part looks like 身 (shēn, body), but the etymology hint says it was once a drawn bow, and 寸 (cùn) on the right is a hand pulling it. Picture a hand drawing back a bow string to shoot.
射 (shè) means to shoot or send something out, from arrows and bullets to rockets, light, and liquid. It usually appears in compounds like 发射 (fāshè), 射击 (shèjī), and 注射 (zhùshè). Example: 火箭明天发射。(Huǒjiàn míngtiān fāshè.) The rocket launches tomorrow.
Common mistake: Learners often mix up 射 (shè) with 谢 (xiè, to thank), which contains 射 plus the speech radical 讠. Also keep the fourth tone in shè, and do not confuse it with 社 (shè, society), which sounds the same.
Common words with 射
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 发射 | fāshè | to shoot (a projectile); to fire (a rocket) | HSK 5 |
| 射击 | shèjī | to shoot; to fire (a gun) | HSK 5 |
| 注射 | zhùshè | injection; to inject | HSK 5 |
| 辐射 | fúshè | to radiate; radiation | HSK 7-9 |
| 投射 | tóushè | to throw (a projectile); to cast (light) | HSK 7-9 |
| 折射 | zhéshè | to refract; refraction | HSK 7-9 |
| 射杀 | shèshā | to shoot dead (with a gun, or bow and arrow) | |
| 射中 | shèzhòng | to hit the target | |
| 反射 | fǎnshè | to reflect; reflection (from a mirror etc) | |
| 射程 | shèchéng | range; reach | |
| 射手 | shèshǒu | archer; shooter | |
| 射线 | shèxiàn | ray | |
| 发射器 | fāshèqì | radio transmitter | |
| 放射性 | fàngshèxìng | radioactive |
射 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Characters that contain 射
Learning 射 makes these easier to recognize and write.
Questions about 射
How many strokes are in 射?
射 is written with 10 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 射 mean?
射 (shè) means to shoot; to launch; to allude to. A common word with it is 发射 (fāshè), meaning "to shoot (a projectile); to fire (a rocket)".
How do you pronounce 射?
射 is pronounced shè, in the fourth tone (falling).
What is the radical of 射?
The radical of 射 is 寸, which carries the idea of "inch". Dictionaries list 射 under this radical.
What is the traditional form of 射?
The traditional form of 射 is 䠶. Traditional characters are used in Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau; 射 is the simplified form used in mainland China and Singapore.
Is 射 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 射 is part of the HSK 5 character list in the HSK 3.0 standard.
Can 射 be used for shooting a photo or a film?
No. For taking photos or filming, Chinese uses 拍 (pāi) or 摄 (shè), as in 拍照 (pāizhào) and 摄影 (shèyǐng). 射 is for firing or emitting something, like bullets, arrows, light, or radiation.
Is 射 used in sports?
Yes. In football or basketball, 射门 (shèmén) means to shoot at the goal, and archery is 射箭 (shèjiàn). The idea is still sending something toward a target.