形 meaning and stroke order
To appear; to look; form
How to write 形, 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
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
- 7
Meaning of 形
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- to appear
- to look
- form
- shape
How 形 is built
Ideographic (compound meaning) character. Sunlight 彡 streaming through a window 开.
Radical: 彡 (hair), shared by 14 characters on this site.
How to remember 形
Picture a window 开 with rays of sunlight 彡 streaming through it. The light reveals the form and shape of everything in the room, so 形 (xíng) means shape or form.
形 rarely stands alone in modern speech. It mostly appears in words like 形状 (xíngzhuàng, shape), 形成 (xíngchéng, to form) and 形容 (xíngróng, to describe). Example: 这块石头的形状很奇怪。(Zhè kuài shítou de xíngzhuàng hěn qíguài.) This rock has a strange shape.
Common mistake: Learners often mix up 形 with 型 (xíng, model, type), which has the same sound and a similar top part but adds 土 at the bottom. Use 形 for shape and appearance, as in 形状, and 型 for types and models, as in 类型 (lèixíng, type).
Common words with 形
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 形成 | xíngchéng | to form; to take shape | HSK 3 |
| 形式 | xíngshì | outer appearance; form | HSK 3 |
| 形象 | xíngxiàng | image; form | HSK 3 |
| 形状 | xíngzhuàng | form; shape | HSK 3 |
| 形容 | xíngróng | to describe; (literary) countenance; appearance | HSK 4 |
| 形势 | xíngshì | circumstances; situation | HSK 4 |
| 情形 | qíngxing | circumstances; situation; state of affairs | HSK 5 |
| 地形 | dìxíng | topography; terrain | HSK 5 |
| 形态 | xíngtài | shape; form | HSK 5 |
| 变形 | biànxíng | to become deformed; to change shape; to morph | HSK 6 |
| 隐形 | yǐnxíng | invisible | HSK 7-9 |
| 畸形 | jīxíng | deformed; malformed; lopsided; unbalanced | HSK 7-9 |
| 队形 | duìxíng | formation | HSK 7-9 |
| 无形 | wúxíng | incorporeal; virtual | HSK 7-9 |
形 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Questions about 形
How many strokes are in 形?
形 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 形 mean?
形 (xíng) means to appear; to look; form. A common word with it is 形成 (xíngchéng), meaning "to form; to take shape".
How do you pronounce 形?
形 is pronounced xíng, in the second tone (rising).
What is the radical of 形?
The radical of 形 is 彡, which carries the idea of "hair". Dictionaries list 形 under this radical.
Is 形 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 形 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.
What is the difference between 形式 and 形势?
Both are pronounced xíngshì. 形式 means form or format, as in 形式主义 (formalism), while 形势 means the situation or circumstances, as in 国际形势 (the international situation).
How do you use 形容 in a sentence?
形容 means to describe, usually with words or adjectives. A common pattern is 用……来形容, for example 我不知道怎么形容他 (Wǒ bù zhīdào zěnme xíngróng tā), I don't know how to describe him.