尔 meaning and stroke order
You; that, those; final particle
How to write 尔, 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 尔
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- thus
- so
- like that
- you
- thou
- variant of 爾|尔[er3]
How 尔 is built
Components of the character.
Radical: 小 (small), shared by 10 characters on this site.
How to remember 尔
尔 is a small hook ⺈ sitting on top of 小 (xiǎo, small). Picture a little finger hooked over something small, pointing at it and saying "you" or "that one."
In modern Chinese 尔 rarely stands alone. It appears in fixed words like 偶尔 (ǒu'ěr, occasionally) and is very common for the sound "er" in foreign names and loanwords such as 高尔夫 (gāo'ěrfū, golf). Example: 我偶尔喝咖啡。 (Wǒ ǒu'ěr hē kāfēi.) I drink coffee once in a while.
Common mistake: Learners often confuse 尔 with 你 (nǐ, you), which actually contains 尔 on the right side next to the person radical 亻. Also watch the tone: 尔 is third tone ěr, unlike 儿 (ér, second tone) or 二 (èr, fourth tone).
Common words with 尔
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 偶尔 | ǒu'ěr | occasionally; once in a while | HSK 5 |
| 高尔夫球 | gāo'ěrfūqiú | golf; golf ball | HSK 7-9 |
| 摩尔 | Mó'ěr | mole (chemistry) | |
| 高尔夫 | gāo'ěrfū | (loanword) golf | |
| 阿尔法 | ā'ěrfǎ | alpha (Greek letter Α, α) | |
| 荷尔蒙 | hé'ěrméng | (loanword) hormone | |
| 瑞尔 | ruì'ěr | riel (Cambodian currency) | |
| 埃米尔 | āimǐ'ěr | (loanword) emir; amir | |
| 华尔兹 | huá'ěrzī | (loanword) waltz (dance) | |
| 安吉尔 | ānjí'ěr | angel (loanword) | |
| 吉尔达 | jí'ěrdá | gelada (Theropithecus gelada), Ethiopian herbivorous monkey similar to baboon | |
| 尔格 | ěrgé | erg (physics) (loanword) |
尔 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Characters that contain 尔
Learning 尔 makes these easier to recognize and write.
Questions about 尔
How many strokes are in 尔?
尔 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 尔 mean?
尔 (ěr) means you; that, those; final particle. A common word with it is 偶尔 (ǒu'ěr), meaning "occasionally; once in a while".
How do you pronounce 尔?
尔 is pronounced ěr, in the third tone (dipping).
What is the radical of 尔?
The radical of 尔 is 小, which carries the idea of "small". Dictionaries list 尔 under this radical.
What is the traditional form of 尔?
The traditional form of 尔 is 尒 and 爾. Traditional characters are used in Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau; 尔 is the simplified form used in mainland China and Singapore.
Is 尔 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 尔 is part of the HSK 5 character list in the HSK 3.0 standard.
Can I use 尔 to say "you" in everyday speech?
No. Using 尔 for "you" is classical or very literary, found in old texts and set phrases. In daily speech, use 你 (nǐ) or 您 (nín).
Why does 尔 show up in so many foreign names?
Chinese has no syllable for a final "l" or "r" sound, so 尔 (ěr) is the standard choice to represent it in transliterations. You see it in names and loanwords like 摩尔 (mó'ěr, mole), 荷尔蒙 (hé'ěrméng, hormone), and 埃米尔 (āimǐ'ěr, emir).