旧 meaning and stroke order
Old; opposite: new 新; former
How to write 旧, stroke by stroke
5 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
Meaning of 旧
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- old
- opposite: new 新
- former
- worn (with age)
How 旧 is built
Ideographic (compound meaning) character. Older than 丨 the sun 日.
Radical: 日 (sun), shared by 116 characters on this site.
How to remember 旧
旧 (jiù) shows a single stick 丨 standing next to the sun 日. Picture an old post that has stood beside the sun for countless days, so it is older than you can count.
旧 describes things that are old or used, the opposite of 新 (xīn, new), and also things that are former or from the past. It appears in words like 依旧 (yījiù, still) and 怀旧 (huáijiù, nostalgic). Example: 我的手机很旧了。(Wǒ de shǒujī hěn jiù le.) My phone is really old.
Common mistake: Learners often use 旧 for old people, but 旧 is for objects and past things. For people and age, use 老 (lǎo), as in 老人 (lǎorén, elderly person).
Common words with 旧
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 依旧 | yījiù | as before; still; to remain the same | HSK 5 |
| 仍旧 | réngjiù | still (remaining); to remain (the same) | HSK 5 |
| 破旧 | pòjiù | shabby | HSK 7-9 |
| 怀旧 | huáijiù | to feel nostalgic; nostalgia | HSK 7-9 |
| 陈旧 | chénjiù | old-fashioned; out of date; obsolete; antiquated | HSK 7-9 |
| 照旧 | zhàojiù | as before; as in the past | |
| 老旧 | lǎojiù | outmoded; old-fashioned | |
| 旧情 | jiùqíng | old affection | |
| 旧事 | jiùshì | old affair; former matter | |
| 旧约 | Jiùyuē | former agreement; former contract | |
| 叙旧 | xùjiù | to reminisce; to talk about former times | |
| 重操旧业 | chóngcāojiùyè | (idiom) to resume one's old trade | |
| 旧日 | jiùrì | former times; olden days | |
| 旧时 | jiùshí | in former times; the olden days |
旧 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Questions about 旧
How many strokes are in 旧?
旧 is written with 5 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 旧 mean?
旧 (jiù) means old; opposite: new 新; former. A common word with it is 依旧 (yījiù), meaning "as before; still; to remain the same".
How do you pronounce 旧?
旧 is pronounced jiù, in the fourth tone (falling).
What is the radical of 旧?
The radical of 旧 is 日, which carries the idea of "sun". Dictionaries list 旧 under this radical.
What is the traditional form of 旧?
The traditional form of 旧 is 舊. Traditional characters are used in Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau; 旧 is the simplified form used in mainland China and Singapore.
Is 旧 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 旧 is part of the HSK 3 character list in the HSK 3.0 standard, and you are expected to write it by hand from HSK 3.
What is the difference between 旧 and 老?
旧 means worn, used or former, and is mostly for things, like 旧衣服 (jiù yīfu, old clothes). 老 means aged or long-standing and works for people, animals and relationships, like 老朋友 (lǎo péngyou, old friend). A 旧朋友 sounds more like a former friend.
How do you say second-hand or used in Chinese with 旧?
You can say 旧的 (jiù de) for used items in casual speech, or the more specific 二手 (èrshǒu), as in 二手车 (èrshǒu chē, used car). 旧 alone focuses on age and wear rather than prior ownership.