將 meaning and stroke order
The future, what will be; ready, prepared; a general
How to write 將, stroke by stroke
11 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
- 7
- 8
- 9
- 10
- 11
Meaning of 將
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- (bound form) a general
- (literary) to command; to lead
- (Chinese chess) general (on the black side, equivalent to a king in Western chess)
- to desire
- to invite
- to request
- will
- shall
- to use
- to take
- to checkmate
- just a short while ago
How 將 is built
Ideographic (compound meaning) character. Going to bed 爿 at night 夕, a predictable future.
Radical: 寸 (inch), shared by 18 characters on this site.
How to remember 將
The left part 爿 looks like a bed turned on its side, and on the right is night 夕 over a hand 寸. Going to bed at night is something you know will happen, so 將 (jiāng) means "will" or what is coming in the future.
As jiāng, 將 is a formal or written word for "will" and appears in words like 將來 (jiānglái, future) and 即將 (jíjiāng, about to). It can also mark the object before a verb, much like 把 (bǎ) in written style. Example: 他將來想當老師。(Tā jiānglái xiǎng dāng lǎoshī.) He wants to be a teacher in the future.
Common mistake: Learners often read every 將 as jiāng, but in 將軍 it is jiāngjūn while in 麻將 (májiàng) and the bound sense "general" it is fourth tone jiàng. Also do not confuse it with 獎 (jiǎng, prize) or 醬 (jiàng, sauce), which share the top part 將 but add 大 or 酉 underneath.
Common words with 將
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 將來 | jiānglái | in the future; future | HSK 3 |
| 將近 | jiāngjìn | almost; nearly | HSK 3 |
| 即將 | jíjiāng | about to; on the point of; soon | HSK 4 |
| 將要 | jiāngyào | will; shall | HSK 5 |
| 將軍 | jiāngjūn | general; high-ranking military officer | HSK 6 |
| 必將 | bìjiāng | inevitably | HSK 6 |
| 麻將 | májiàng | mahjong | HSK 7-9 |
| 將會 | jiānghuì | auxiliary verb introducing future action: may (be able to); will (cause) | |
| 上將 | shàngjiàng | general; admiral | |
| 中將 | zhōngjiàng | lieutenant general; vice admiral; air marshal | |
| 即將來臨 | jíjiāngláilín | imminent | |
| 少將 | shàojiàng | major general; rear admiral | |
| 大將軍 | dàjiāngjūn | important general; generalissimo | |
| 准將 | zhǔnjiàng | brigadier general; commodore |
Characters that contain 將
Learning 將 makes these easier to recognize and write.
Questions about 將
How many strokes are in 將?
將 is written with 11 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 將 mean?
將 (jiāng) means the future, what will be; ready, prepared; a general. A common word with it is 将来 (jiānglái), meaning "in the future; future".
How do you pronounce 將?
將 is pronounced jiāng, in the first tone (high and level).
What is the radical of 將?
The radical of 將 is 寸, which carries the idea of "inch". Dictionaries list 將 under this radical.
What is the simplified form of 將?
將 is a traditional character. Its simplified form is 将, used in mainland China and Singapore.
What is the difference between 將 and 要 for the future?
要 (yào) is the everyday spoken way to say "will" or "going to." 將 (jiāng) sounds formal and appears mostly in news, speeches, and writing, often as 將會 or 將要.
Why is 將軍 read jiāngjūn if 將 means general as jiàng?
The word 將 on its own meaning a general is read jiàng, as in 大將 (dàjiàng). The set word 將軍 is conventionally read jiāngjūn, and 將軍 also means "checkmate" in Chinese chess, so it is best to learn this word as a unit.