序 meaning and stroke order
(bound form) order; sequence; (bound form) introductory; initial; preface
How to write 序, stroke by stroke
7 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
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- 4
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Meaning of 序
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- (bound form) order; sequence
- (bound form) introductory; initial
- preface
How 序 is built
Phono-semantic (sound + meaning) character. Wide.
广 gives the meaning and 予 hints at the sound.
Radical: 广 (broad), shared by 60 characters on this site.
How to remember 序
序 is built from 广 (a wide building) on top of 予 (yǔ), which gives the sound. Picture people inside a wide hall lining up in order, each one in sequence.
序 is a bound form, so it almost always appears inside words like 顺序 (shùnxù, order), 程序 (chéngxù, procedure or computer program), and 秩序 (zhìxù, public order). It can also mean an opening or preface, as in 序幕 (xùmù, prologue). Example: 请按顺序排队。(Qǐng àn shùnxù páiduì.) Please line up in order.
Common mistake: Learners often write 予 inside 广 as 矛 or 子, but it is 予, with a small hook stroke at the top. Also keep the fourth tone xù, and do not confuse it with 叙 (xù, to narrate), which sounds the same.
Common words with 序
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 程序 | chéngxù | procedures; sequence | HSK 4 |
| 顺序 | shùnxù | sequence; order | HSK 4 |
| 秩序 | zhìxù | order; orderliness (in society, in the classroom, on the roads etc) | HSK 7-9 |
| 有序 | yǒuxù | regular; orderly | HSK 7-9 |
| 序幕 | xùmù | prologue | HSK 7-9 |
| 工序 | gōngxù | working procedure; process | HSK 7-9 |
| 循序渐进 | xúnxù-jiànjìn | in sequence, step by step (idiom); to make steady progress incrementally | HSK 7-9 |
| 排序 | páixù | to sort; to arrange in order | |
| 序列 | xùliè | sequence | |
| 序列号 | xùlièhào | serial number; product key (software) | |
| 次序 | cìxù | sequence; order | |
| 应用程序 | yìngyòngchéngxù | (computing) program; application | |
| 程序员 | chéngxùyuán | programmer | |
| 驱动程序 | qūdòngchéngxù | device driver (computing software) |
序 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Questions about 序
How many strokes are in 序?
序 is written with 7 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 序 mean?
序 (xù) means (bound form) order; sequence; (bound form) introductory; initial; preface. A common word with it is 程序 (chéngxù), meaning "procedures; sequence".
How do you pronounce 序?
序 is pronounced xù, in the fourth tone (falling).
What is the radical of 序?
The radical of 序 is 广, which carries the idea of "broad". Dictionaries list 序 under this radical.
Is 序 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 序 is part of the HSK 4 character list in the HSK 3.0 standard.
What is the difference between 顺序 and 秩序?
顺序 (shùnxù) is the order or sequence of items, like steps or names in a list. 秩序 (zhìxù) is orderliness in a place or society, such as traffic order or classroom discipline.
Does 程序 mean a computer program?
Yes. 程序 (chéngxù) means a procedure in general, and in computing it is the normal word for a program. A programmer is 程序员 (chéngxùyuán).