挺 meaning and stroke order
Straight; erect; to stick out (a part of the body)
How to write 挺, stroke by stroke
9 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
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- 9
Meaning of 挺
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- straight
- erect
- to stick out (a part of the body)
- to (physically) straighten up
- to support
- to withstand
How 挺 is built
Phono-semantic (sound + meaning) character. Hand.
扌 gives the meaning and 廷 hints at the sound.
Radical: 扌 (hand), shared by 342 characters on this site.
How to remember 挺
挺 (tǐng) is a hand 扌 next to 廷 (tíng), which gives the sound. Picture using your hand to push your back straight so you stand upright.
In everyday speech 挺 is most often an adverb meaning "quite" or "pretty", usually followed by 的 at the end. It also keeps its physical sense of straightening up or holding firm, as in 挺直 (tǐngzhí) and 挺住 (tǐngzhù). Example: 这家饭馆挺好吃的。(Zhè jiā fànguǎn tǐng hǎochī de.) This restaurant is pretty good.
Common mistake: Learners often mix up 挺 (tǐng) with 庭 (tíng, courtyard) or 廷 (tíng, royal court), which share the same sound part. Remember that 挺 has the hand 扌 on the left and takes the third tone, not the second.
Common words with 挺
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 挺好 | tǐng hǎo | very good | HSK 2 |
| 挺住 | tǐngzhù | to stand firm; to stand one's ground (in the face of adversity or pain) | |
| 挺身而出 | tǐngshēn'érchū | to step forward bravely | |
| 挺直 | tǐngzhí | upright; erect; to straighten up (one's back etc); to hold erect | |
| 坚挺 | jiāntǐng | firm and upright; strong (of currency) | |
| 挺进 | tǐngjìn | progress; to advance |
挺 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Questions about 挺
How many strokes are in 挺?
挺 is written with 9 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 挺 mean?
挺 (tǐng) means straight; erect; to stick out (a part of the body). A common word with it is 挺好 (tǐng hǎo), meaning "very good".
How do you pronounce 挺?
挺 is pronounced tǐng, in the third tone (dipping).
What is the radical of 挺?
The radical of 挺 is 扌, which carries the idea of "hand". Dictionaries list 挺 under this radical.
Is 挺 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 挺 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 挺 and 很 when they mean "very"?
挺 is more casual and spoken, and often sounds closer to "quite" or "pretty". 很 is neutral and works in both speech and writing. People often add 的 after a 挺 phrase, as in 挺累的 (tǐng lèi de).
Can 挺 be used in negative sentences?
Yes. You can say 挺不错 (tǐng búcuò, pretty good) or 挺不好意思的 (tǐng bù hǎoyìsi de, rather embarrassed). Placing 不 before it, as in 不挺好, is not natural. Use 不太好 (bú tài hǎo) instead.