抑 meaning and stroke order
To curb, to hinder; to keep down, to repress
How to write 抑, 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
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- 7
Meaning of 抑
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- to restrain
- to restrict
- to keep down
- or
How 抑 is built
Phono-semantic (sound + meaning) character. Hand.
扌 gives the meaning and 卬 hints at the sound.
Radical: 扌 (hand), shared by 342 characters on this site.
How to remember 抑
抑 combines the hand radical 扌 with 卬. Picture a hand pressing down on something to keep it from rising, which gives the meaning to hold back or repress.
抑 rarely stands alone in modern Chinese. It mostly appears in words like 抑制 (yìzhì, to inhibit), 压抑 (yāyì, to repress), and 抑郁 (yìyù, depressed). Example: 他努力抑制自己的怒气。(Tā nǔlì yìzhì zìjǐ de nùqì.) He tried hard to hold back his anger.
Common mistake: Learners often confuse 抑 with 仰 (yǎng, to look up), which shares the right side 卬 but uses the person radical 亻. Remember the hand 扌 pushes down in 抑, while the person in 仰 looks up.
Common words with 抑
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
抑 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Questions about 抑
How many strokes are in 抑?
抑 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 抑 mean?
抑 (yì) means to curb, to hinder; to keep down, to repress. A common word with it is 压抑 (yāyì), meaning "to constrain or repress emotions; oppressive".
How do you pronounce 抑?
抑 is pronounced yì, in the fourth tone (falling).
What is the radical of 抑?
The radical of 抑 is 扌, which carries the idea of "hand". Dictionaries list 抑 under this radical.
Is 抑 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 抑 is part of the HSK 7-9 character list in the HSK 3.0 standard.
What is the difference between 压抑 and 抑郁?
压抑 (yāyì) means holding feelings in, or describes an oppressive, stifling atmosphere. 抑郁 (yìyù) describes a gloomy, depressed state of mind, and 抑郁症 (yìyùzhèng) is the medical term for clinical depression.
How is 抑或 used to mean or?
抑或 (yìhuò) is a formal, written way to say or, mainly in questions or choices, similar to 还是 (háishi). For example, 是对抑或是错 (shì duì yìhuò shì cuò) means is it right or wrong. In everyday speech, 还是 is far more common.