成 meaning and stroke order
To succeed; to finish; to complete
How to write 成, 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 成
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- to succeed
- to finish
- to complete
- to accomplish
- to become
- to turn into
How 成 is built
Components of the character.
Radical: 戈 (spear), shared by 34 characters on this site.
How to remember 成
成 is built from 丁 (dīng, a nail or a sturdy worker) and 戈 (gē, a halberd, a weapon). Picture a worker with a halberd who keeps at the job until it is finished, and the task is complete.
成 (chéng) often follows a verb to show a result or a change, as in 变成 (biànchéng, to turn into) and 完成 (wánchéng, to complete). It also starts many common words like 成功 (chénggōng, success) and 成为 (chéngwéi, to become). Example: 水变成了冰。 (Shuǐ biànchéng le bīng.) The water turned into ice.
Common mistake: Learners often confuse 成 with 城 (chéng, city wall, city), which adds 土 on the left, and with 诚 (chéng, sincere), which adds 讠. Another common error is leaving out the short dot stroke at the top right of the 戈 part.
Common words with 成
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 成为 | chéngwéi | to become; to turn into | HSK 2 |
| 变成 | biànchéng | to change into; to turn into | HSK 2 |
| 完成 | wánchéng | to complete; to accomplish | HSK 2 |
| 成绩 | chéngjì | achievement; performance records | HSK 2 |
| 组成 | zǔchéng | to form; to make up | HSK 2 |
| 成功 | chénggōng | to succeed; success | HSK 3 |
| 造成 | zàochéng | to bring about; to create; to cause | HSK 3 |
| 成员 | chéngyuán | member | HSK 3 |
| 形成 | xíngchéng | to form; to take shape | HSK 3 |
| 成熟 | chéngshú | mature; ripe; to mature; to ripen | HSK 3 |
| 成长 | chéngzhǎng | to mature; to grow | HSK 3 |
| 成就 | chéngjiù | accomplishment; success | HSK 3 |
| 成立 | chénglì | to establish; to set up | HSK 3 |
| 成果 | chéngguǒ | result; achievement | HSK 3 |
成 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Characters that contain 成
Learning 成 makes these easier to recognize and write.
Questions about 成
How many strokes are in 成?
成 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 成 mean?
成 (chéng) means to succeed; to finish; to complete. A common word with it is 成为 (chéngwéi), meaning "to become; to turn into".
How do you pronounce 成?
成 is pronounced chéng, in the second tone (rising).
What is the radical of 成?
The radical of 成 is 戈, which carries the idea of "spear". Dictionaries list 成 under this radical.
Is 成 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 成 is part of the HSK 2 character list in the HSK 3.0 standard, and you are expected to write it by hand from HSK 2.
What is the difference between 成为 and 变成?
成为 (chéngwéi) means to become and often describes a role or status, like 成为医生 (to become a doctor). 变成 (biànchéng) stresses a change in form or state, like 变成蓝色 (to turn blue).
What does 成 mean when used alone in speech?
In spoken Chinese, 成 can mean OK or that works, as in 成，就这么办 (Chéng, jiù zhème bàn), OK, let's do it that way. It is similar to 行 (xíng) and is especially common in northern speech.