枝 meaning and stroke order
Branch; classifier for sticks, rods, pencils etc
How to write 枝, stroke by stroke
8 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
Meaning of 枝
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- branch
- classifier for sticks, rods, pencils etc
How 枝 is built
Phono-semantic (sound + meaning) character. Tree.
木 gives the meaning and 支 hints at the sound.
Radical: 木 (tree), shared by 388 characters on this site.
How to remember 枝
枝 is pictophonetic: 木 (mù, tree) on the left gives the meaning, and 支 (zhī) on the right gives the sound. Picture a tree 木 with a part that branches off 支 to the side, and you have a branch.
枝 most often appears in words like 树枝 (shùzhī, branch, twig). It can also be a classifier for long, thin things such as flowers on a stem or pens. Example: 一枝花 (yì zhī huā) one flower on a stem.
Common mistake: Learners often mix up 枝 with 支, which sounds exactly the same. 支 is the more common classifier for pens and sticks in mainland China (一支笔 yì zhī bǐ), while 枝 is preferred for flowers and branches. Also watch the tone: it is first tone zhī, not zhǐ like 纸 (paper).
Common words with 枝
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 树枝 | shùzhī | branch; twig | HSK 7-9 |
| 枪枝 | qiāngzhī | (Tw) variant of 槍支|枪支[qiang1 zhi1] |
枝 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Questions about 枝
How many strokes are in 枝?
枝 is written with 8 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 枝 mean?
枝 (zhī) means branch; classifier for sticks, rods, pencils etc. A common word with it is 树枝 (shùzhī), meaning "branch; twig".
How do you pronounce 枝?
枝 is pronounced zhī, in the first tone (high and level).
What is the radical of 枝?
The radical of 枝 is 木, which carries the idea of "tree". Dictionaries list 枝 under this radical.
Is 枝 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 枝 is part of the HSK 6 character list in the HSK 3.0 standard.
Should I write 一枝笔 or 一支笔?
In mainland China, 一支笔 (yì zhī bǐ) is the standard form. 枝 is still used as a classifier, but mostly for flowers and things with a stem, such as 一枝玫瑰 (yì zhī méiguī, one rose).
Why does the dictionary list 枪枝 as a Taiwan variant?
枪枝 (qiāngzhī, firearms) is a form used in Taiwan. In mainland China the standard spelling is 枪支 with 支. Both mean guns in general.