弛 meaning and stroke order
To loosen, to relax; to unstring a bow
How to write 弛, stroke by stroke
6 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
Meaning of 弛
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- to unstring a bow
- to slacken
- to relax
- to loosen
How 弛 is built
Phono-semantic (sound + meaning) character. Bow.
弓 gives the meaning and 也 hints at the sound.
Radical: 弓 (bow), shared by 29 characters on this site.
How to remember 弛
On the left is 弓 (gōng), a bow, which gives the meaning. On the right is 也 (yě), which hints at the sound, so picture a bow whose string has gone slack and loose.
弛 (chí) is a formal, written character and rarely appears alone. It mostly shows up in set words like 松弛 (sōngchí, relaxed, slack) and the idiom 一张一弛 (yī zhāng yī chí), meaning alternating tension and relaxation. Example: 他的肌肉很松弛。(Tā de jīròu hěn sōngchí.) His muscles are relaxed.
Common mistake: Learners often confuse 弛 (chí) with 驰 (chí, to gallop), which has the horse radical 马 instead of the bow 弓. Remember that a bow loosens, while a horse runs, as in 奔驰 (bēnchí).
Common words with 弛
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 松弛 | sōngchí | to relax; relaxed | HSK 7-9 |
Questions about 弛
How many strokes are in 弛?
弛 is written with 6 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 弛 mean?
弛 (chí) means to loosen, to relax; to unstring a bow. A common word with it is 松弛 (sōngchí), meaning "to relax; relaxed".
How do you pronounce 弛?
弛 is pronounced chí, in the second tone (rising).
What is the radical of 弛?
The radical of 弛 is 弓, which carries the idea of "bow". Dictionaries list 弛 under this radical.
Is 弛 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 弛 is part of the HSK 7-9 character list in the HSK 3.0 standard.
What does 一张一弛 mean?
It literally means stringing a bow tight and then loosening it. It describes balancing work and rest, or pressure and relaxation.
Can I use 弛 by itself to say I am relaxing?
Not in everyday speech. To say you are relaxing, use 放松 (fàngsōng). Use 松弛 to describe something that is slack or loose, like muscles, skin, or discipline.