建 meaning and stroke order
To establish; to found; to set up
How to write 建, stroke by stroke
8 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
Meaning of 建
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- to establish
- to found
- to set up
- to build
- to construct
How 建 is built
Phono-semantic (sound + meaning) character. Action.
廴 gives the meaning and 聿 hints at the sound.
Radical: 廴 (to walk), shared by 5 characters on this site.
How to remember 建
建 is built from 廴, a stretched-out stride component that signals action, wrapped under 聿, which gives the sound. Picture the 廴 as a long foundation line that the 聿 stands on, so you are building something on solid ground.
建 rarely stands alone in modern speech. It mostly appears in compounds like 建立 (jiànlì, to establish), 建设 (jiànshè, to build up), and 建议 (jiànyì, to suggest). Example: 我建议你早点睡。(Wǒ jiànyì nǐ zǎodiǎn shuì.) I suggest you go to bed early.
Common mistake: Learners often write 廴 like 辶 by adding the dot at the top. 廴 has no dot, and it is written last, after 聿. Also, do not confuse 建 with 健 (jiàn, healthy), which adds 亻 on the left and appears in 健康 (jiànkāng).
Common words with 建
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 建议 | jiànyì | to propose; to suggest; to recommend; proposal; suggestion; recommendation (CL:點|点[dian3]) | HSK 3 |
| 建立 | jiànlì | to establish; to set up | HSK 3 |
| 建设 | jiànshè | to build; to construct; to establish; to develop; to institute | HSK 3 |
| 建成 | jiànchéng | to establish; to build | HSK 3 |
| 建筑 | jiànzhù | to construct; building | HSK 5 |
| 建造 | jiànzào | to construct; to build | HSK 5 |
| 修建 | xiūjiàn | to build; to construct | HSK 5 |
| 重建 | chóngjiàn | to rebuild; to reconstruct; to reestablish | HSK 6 |
| 创建 | chuàngjiàn | to found; to establish | HSK 6 |
| 构建 | gòujiàn | to construct (sth abstract) | HSK 6 |
| 建筑物 | jiànzhùwù | building; structure | HSK 7-9 |
| 建筑师 | jiànzhùshī | architect | HSK 7-9 |
| 组建 | zǔjiàn | to organize; to set up | HSK 7-9 |
| 搭建 | dājiàn | to build (esp. with simple materials); to knock together (a temporary shed) | HSK 7-9 |
建 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Characters that contain 建
Learning 建 makes these easier to recognize and write.
Questions about 建
How many strokes are in 建?
建 is written with 8 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 建 mean?
建 (jiàn) means to establish; to found; to set up. A common word with it is 建议 (jiànyì), meaning "to propose; to suggest; to recommend; proposal; suggestion; recommendation (CL:點|点[dian3])".
How do you pronounce 建?
建 is pronounced jiàn, in the fourth tone (falling).
What is the radical of 建?
The radical of 建 is 廴, which carries the idea of "to walk". Dictionaries list 建 under this radical.
Is 建 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 建 is part of the HSK 3 character list in the HSK 3.0 standard, and you are expected to write it by hand from HSK 3.
Why does 建议 mean to suggest if 建 means to build?
In 建议 (jiànyì), 建 carries its sense of putting something forward or setting it up, and 议 means opinion or discussion. So the word means to put forward an opinion. It works as both a verb and a noun, as in 提一个建议 (tí yí gè jiànyì, to make a suggestion).
What is the difference between 建立 and 建设?
建立 (jiànlì) means to set up something that did not exist before, such as a relationship, a system, or trust. 建设 (jiànshè) means to build up or develop over time, often used for a country, a city, or infrastructure. For a physical building you would usually say 建造 (jiànzào) or 修建 (xiūjiàn).