找 meaning and stroke order
To try to find; to look for; to call on sb
How to write 找, 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 找
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- to try to find
- to look for
- to call on sb
- to find
- to seek
- to return
How 找 is built
Ideographic (compound meaning) character. To go searching with a spear 戈 in hand 扌.
Radical: 扌 (hand), shared by 342 characters on this site.
How to remember 找
The left side 扌 is a hand, and the right side 戈 is a spear. Picture someone with a spear in hand, going out to search for something, and you have 找 (zhǎo), to look for.
找 (zhǎo) means to look for something or someone, and 找到 (zhǎodào) adds the result, actually finding it. It also means to go see a person, and to give change when paying. Example: 我在找我的手机。(Wǒ zài zhǎo wǒ de shǒujī.) I am looking for my phone.
Common mistake: Learners often write 我找了钥匙 when they mean they found the keys, but 找 alone only means looking, so say 我找到了钥匙 (wǒ zhǎodào le yàoshi). Also do not confuse 找 with 我 (wǒ), which looks similar but has an extra stroke and a different left side.
Common words with 找
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 找到 | zhǎodào | to find | HSK 1 |
| 找出 | zhǎochū | to find; to search out | HSK 2 |
| 寻找 | xúnzhǎo | to seek; to look for | HSK 4 |
| 查找 | cházhǎo | to search for; to look up | HSK 7-9 |
| 找回 | zhǎohuí | to retrieve | |
| 找死 | zhǎosǐ | to court death; to take a big risk | |
| 找寻 | zhǎoxún | to look for; to seek | |
| 自找 | zìzhǎo | to suffer as a consequence of one's own actions; you asked for it | |
| 找麻烦 | zhǎomáfan | to look for trouble | |
| 找遍 | zhǎobiàn | to search everywhere; to search high and low | |
| 自找麻烦 | zìzhǎomáfan | to ask for trouble; to invite difficulties | |
| 找不着 | zhǎobuzháo | to be unable to find | |
| 找钱 | zhǎoqián | to give change; to seek funding | |
| 找上门 | zhǎoshàngmén | to come to sb's door; to call on sb |
找 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Questions about 找
How many strokes are in 找?
找 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 找 mean?
找 (zhǎo) means to try to find; to look for; to call on sb. A common word with it is 找到 (zhǎodào), meaning "to find".
How do you pronounce 找?
找 is pronounced zhǎo, in the third tone (dipping).
What is the radical of 找?
The radical of 找 is 扌, which carries the idea of "hand". Dictionaries list 找 under this radical.
Is 找 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 找 is part of the HSK 1 character list in the HSK 3.0 standard, and you are expected to write it by hand from HSK 1.
How do you use 找 to mean giving change?
A cashier might say 找你五块 (zhǎo nǐ wǔ kuài), meaning "here is five yuan in change." The money you get back is called 找的钱 or simply 零钱 (língqián).
Can 找 mean visiting or looking for a person?
Yes. 我找王老师 (wǒ zhǎo Wáng lǎoshī) means "I am here to see Teacher Wang." On the phone, 你找谁？(nǐ zhǎo shéi?) means "Who are you calling for?"