执 meaning and stroke order
To execute; to grasp, to hold; to keep; to sieze, to detain
How to write 执, 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.
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Meaning of 执
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- to execute (a plan)
- to grasp
How 执 is built
Ideographic (compound meaning) character. A hand 扌 clutching a pebble 丸.
Radical: 扌 (hand), shared by 342 characters on this site.
How to remember 执
The hand radical 扌 on the left is clutching 丸 (wán), a small pebble or pill, on the right. Picture a fist gripping a pebble tightly and refusing to let go, and you have 执 (zhí), to grasp or hold.
执 rarely stands alone in modern speech. It mostly appears in compounds like 执行 (zhíxíng, to carry out), 执照 (zhízhào, license) and 固执 (gùzhi, stubborn). Example: 我们必须执行这个计划。(Wǒmen bìxū zhíxíng zhège jìhuà.) We must carry out this plan.
Common mistake: Learners often write the right side as 九 (jiǔ) and forget the dot in 丸, or confuse 执 with 热 (rè, hot), which has the same top part plus four dots underneath. Also note that in 固执 (gùzhi) the 执 is usually said in the neutral tone.
Common words with 执
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 执行 | zhíxíng | to implement; to carry out | HSK 5 |
| 固执 | gùzhi | obstinate; stubborn | HSK 7-9 |
| 执照 | zhízhào | license; permit | HSK 7-9 |
| 争执 | zhēngzhí | to dispute; to disagree | HSK 7-9 |
| 执法 | zhífǎ | to enforce a law; law enforcement | HSK 7-9 |
| 执着 | zhízhuó | dedicated; devoted; persistent; to persist in; to cling to | HSK 7-9 |
| 执意 | zhíyì | to be determined to; to insist on | HSK 7-9 |
| 偏执 | piānzhí | extreme and inflexible; fixated; stubborn in clinging to a notion; (psychology) paranoid | |
| 执勤 | zhíqín | to be on duty (of a security guard etc) | |
| 执政 | zhízhèng | to hold power; in office | |
| 执事 | zhíshì | to perform one's job; attendant | |
| 偏执狂 | piānzhíkuáng | paranoia; monomania | |
| 执导 | zhídǎo | to direct (a film, play etc) | |
| 驾驶执照 | jiàshǐzhízhào | driver's license |
执 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Characters that contain 执
Learning 执 makes these easier to recognize and write.
Questions about 执
How many strokes are in 执?
执 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 执 mean?
执 (zhí) means to execute; to grasp, to hold; to keep; to sieze, to detain. A common word with it is 执行 (zhíxíng), meaning "to implement; to carry out".
How do you pronounce 执?
执 is pronounced zhí, in the second tone (rising).
What is the radical of 执?
The radical of 执 is 扌, which carries the idea of "hand". Dictionaries list 执 under this radical.
What is the traditional form of 执?
The traditional form of 执 is 執. Traditional characters are used in Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau; 执 is the simplified form used in mainland China and Singapore.
Is 执 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 执 is part of the HSK 5 character list in the HSK 3.0 standard.
What is the difference between 执着 and 固执?
执着 (zhízhuó) usually sounds positive, meaning devoted or persistent in pursuing a goal. 固执 (gùzhi) is negative and means stubborn or unwilling to listen. Calling someone 固执 is a criticism, while 执着 can be praise.
How is 执 used in words about law and arguments?
执法 (zhífǎ) means to enforce the law, so police and officials are said to 执法. 争执 (zhēngzhí) means a dispute or disagreement, as in 他们发生了争执 (tāmen fāshēng le zhēngzhí), they got into an argument.