最 meaning and stroke order
(before an adjective or verb) to the highest degree; (the) most ...; -est; (after 之[zhi1]) best or most extreme example (e.g. 世界之最[shi4 jie4 zhi1 zui4] "the greatest in the world")
How to write 最, stroke by stroke
12 strokes in order. Each box adds the next stroke in red. Write top to bottom and left to right, and finish enclosing strokes last.
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Meaning of 最
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- (before an adjective or verb) to the highest degree; (the) most ...; -est
- (after 之[zhi1]) best or most extreme example (e.g. 世界之最[shi4 jie4 zhi1 zui4] "the greatest in the world")
- variant of 最[zui4]
- old variant of 最[zui4]
How 最 is built
Ideographic (compound meaning) character. To take place 取 under the sun 日 (that is, everywhere).
Radical: 曰 (to speak), shared by 14 characters on this site.
How to remember 最
最 (zuì) is 日 on top of 取 (qǔ, to take). The etymology hint says it means to take place under the sun, that is, everywhere, so think of whatever you can take from everything under the sun as the very most.
Put 最 directly before an adjective or verb to make a superlative, like English -est or most. It also appears in many fixed words such as 最后 (zuìhòu, finally) and 最近 (zuìjìn, recently). Example: 我最喜欢吃饺子。(Wǒ zuì xǐhuan chī jiǎozi.) I like dumplings the most.
Common mistake: Learners often write the top part as 曰 or 目 incorrectly, or forget that the bottom is 取 with 耳 and 又. It is also easy to confuse 最 (zuì) with 醉 (zuì, drunk), which sounds the same but has the wine radical 酉.
Common words with 最
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 最好 | zuìhǎo | best; had better ...; it would be best to ... | HSK 1 |
| 最后 | zuìhòu | final; last; ultimate; finally; in the end | HSK 1 |
| 最近 | zuìjìn | recently; soon | HSK 2 |
| 最初 | zuìchū | first; primary | HSK 4 |
| 最终 | zuìzhōng | final; ultimate | HSK 6 |
| 最佳 | zuìjiā | optimum; optimal | HSK 6 |
| 最高 | zuìgāo | tallest; highest | |
| 最新 | zuìxīn | latest; newest | |
| 最多 | zuìduō | at most; maximum | |
| 最少 | zuìshǎo | at least; minimum | |
| 最先 | zuìxiān | (the) very first | |
| 最为 | zuìwéi | the most | |
| 最高法院 | zuìgāofǎyuàn | supreme court | |
| 最远 | zuìyuǎn | furthest; most distant |
最 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Characters that contain 最
Learning 最 makes these easier to recognize and write.
Questions about 最
How many strokes are in 最?
最 is written with 12 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 最 mean?
最 (zuì) means (before an adjective or verb) to the highest degree; (the) most ...; -est; (after 之[zhi1]) best or most extreme example (e.g. 世界之最[shi4 jie4 zhi1 zui4] "the greatest in the world"). A common word with it is 最好 (zuìhǎo), meaning "best; had better ...; it would be best to ...".
How do you pronounce 最?
最 is pronounced zuì, in the fourth tone (falling).
What is the radical of 最?
The radical of 最 is 曰, which carries the idea of "to speak". Dictionaries list 最 under this radical.
What is the traditional form of 最?
The traditional form of 最 is 㝡 and 冣. Traditional characters are used in Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau; 最 is the simplified form used in mainland China and Singapore.
Is 最 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 最 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 2.
Does 最好 always mean best?
No. 最好 can mean best, but very often it means had better or it would be best to. For example, 你最好早点睡 (nǐ zuìhǎo zǎodiǎn shuì) means you had better go to bed early.
What does 之最 mean, as in 世界之最?
After 之, 最 works like a noun meaning the most extreme or greatest example. 世界之最 (shìjiè zhī zuì) means the greatest or record holder in the world, and this pattern is common in written Chinese.