所 meaning and stroke order
Actually; place; classifier for houses, small buildings, institutions etc
How to write 所, 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.
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Meaning of 所
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- actually
- place
- classifier for houses, small buildings, institutions etc
- that which
- particle introducing a relative clause or passive
How 所 is built
Ideographic (compound meaning) character. An axe 斤 swung at a door 户.
Radical: 户 (door), shared by 15 characters on this site.
How to remember 所
Picture an axe 斤 (jīn) swung at a door 户 (hù). The door marks a specific place, so 所 (suǒ) came to mean a place or location.
Today 所 (suǒ) appears mostly inside words like 所以 (suǒyǐ, therefore), 所有 (suǒyǒu, all) and 厕所 (cèsuǒ, toilet). It also works as a classifier for schools, hospitals and houses, and in the pattern 所 + verb meaning "that which". Example: 这所学校很大。(Zhè suǒ xuéxiào hěn dà.) This school is very big.
Common mistake: Learners often write the left side as 尸 or forget the top stroke of 户, so check that it starts with a short dot-like stroke. Also, 所以 (suǒyǐ) is the result clause, so say 因为下雨，所以我没去 and do not put 所以 before the reason.
Common words with 所
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 所以 | suǒyǐ | therefore; as a result | HSK 2 |
| 所有 | suǒyǒu | all; to have; to possess; to own | HSK 2 |
| 场所 | chǎngsuǒ | location; place | HSK 3 |
| 所长 | suǒzhǎng | what one is good at; one's strong point | HSK 3 |
| 无所谓 | wúsuǒwèi | to be indifferent; not to matter | HSK 4 |
| 所在 | suǒzài | place; location | HSK 5 |
| 研究所 | yánjiūsuǒ | research institute; graduate studies | HSK 5 |
| 厕所 | cèsuǒ | toilet; lavatory | HSK 6 |
| 所谓 | suǒwèi | what is meant by the expression ...; what is referred to as ...; (derog.) so-called | HSK 7-9 |
| 有所 | yǒusuǒ | somewhat; to some extent | HSK 7-9 |
| 之所以 | zhīsuǒyǐ | (after a noun N and before a predicate P) the reason why N P; Example: 我之所以討厭他|我之所以讨厌他[wo3 | HSK 7-9 |
| 一无所知 | yīwúsuǒzhī | (idiom) not knowing anything at all; completely ignorant | HSK 7-9 |
| 诊所 | zhěnsuǒ | clinic | HSK 7-9 |
| 所作所为 | suǒzuò-suǒwéi | one's conduct and deeds | HSK 7-9 |
所 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Questions about 所
How many strokes are in 所?
所 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 所 mean?
所 (suǒ) means actually; place; classifier for houses, small buildings, institutions etc. A common word with it is 所以 (suǒyǐ), meaning "therefore; as a result".
How do you pronounce 所?
所 is pronounced suǒ, in the third tone (dipping).
What is the radical of 所?
The radical of 所 is 户, which carries the idea of "door". Dictionaries list 所 under this radical.
Is 所 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 所 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 1.
What does 所 mean in phrases like 我所知道的?
Here 所 goes before a verb and turns it into "that which" or "what". 我所知道的 (wǒ suǒ zhīdào de) means "what I know". This style sounds a bit formal, and in casual speech people often drop 所 and just say 我知道的.
How is 所长 (suǒzhǎng) used?
In daily life 所长 (suǒzhǎng) most often means the head of an institute or a police station, since 所 can mean an institution. The dictionary also lists the meaning "one's strong point", which appears in phrases like 发挥所长 (fāhuī suǒcháng, make use of one's strengths). In that sense 长 is read cháng.