書 meaning and stroke order
Book, letter, document; writing
How to write 書, stroke by stroke
10 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
- 8
- 9
- 10
Meaning of 書
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- book
- letter
- document
- to write
How 書 is built
Ideographic (compound meaning) character. A brush 聿 used to write words 曰.
Radical: 曰 (to speak), shared by 14 characters on this site.
How to remember 書
On top is 聿, a hand holding a brush, and below is 曰, words being spoken. A brush putting words down on paper gives you writing, and writing gathered together makes a book.
書 is the traditional form, used in Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau. Mainland China writes it 书, and the common words listed here use that form. It usually means book, and it also appears in words for documents and letters, such as 證書 (zhèngshū) certificate and 秘書 (mìshū) secretary. Example: 我在圖書館讀書。(Wǒ zài túshūguǎn dúshū.) I study at the library.
Common mistake: Learners often confuse 書 with 畫 (huà, to draw) and 晝 (zhòu, daytime), since all three have 聿 on top. Only 書 has a plain 曰 underneath. Also keep the first tone in shū. Do not say shù, which sounds like 树 (tree).
Common words with 書
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 圖書館 | túshūguǎn | library | HSK 1 |
| 讀書 | dúshū | to read a book; to study | HSK 1 |
| 書店 | shūdiàn | bookstore | HSK 1 |
| 書包 | shūbāo | schoolbag; satchel | HSK 1 |
| 書架 | shūjià | bookshelf | HSK 3 |
| 秘書 | mìshū | secretary | HSK 4 |
| 通知書 | tōngzhīshū | written notice | HSK 4 |
| 證書 | zhèngshū | credentials; certificate | HSK 5 |
| 書桌 | shūzhuō | desk | HSK 5 |
| 協議書 | xiéyìshū | contract; protocol | HSK 5 |
| 書法 | shūfǎ | calligraphy; handwriting | HSK 5 |
| 書櫃 | shūguì | bookcase | HSK 5 |
| 書房 | shūfáng | study (room); studio | HSK 6 |
| 圖書 | túshū | books (in a library or bookstore) | HSK 6 |
Questions about 書
How many strokes are in 書?
書 is written with 10 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 書 mean?
書 (shū) means book, letter, document; writing. A common word with it is 图书馆 (túshūguǎn), meaning "library".
How do you pronounce 書?
書 is pronounced shū, in the first tone (high and level).
What is the radical of 書?
The radical of 書 is 曰, which carries the idea of "to speak". Dictionaries list 書 under this radical.
What is the simplified form of 書?
書 is a traditional character. Its simplified form is 书, used in mainland China and Singapore.
What does 讀書 mean besides reading a book?
讀書 (dúshū) often means to study or to be in school. 他還在讀書 (tā hái zài dúshū) usually means he is still a student, not that he is reading a book right now.
Can 書 mean a letter?
Yes, but mostly in formal or literary language, such as 書信 (shūxìn) letters and correspondence. In everyday speech people say 信 (xìn) for a letter.