歇 meaning and stroke order
To rest; to take a break; to stop
How to write 歇, stroke by stroke
13 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 歇
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- to rest
- to take a break
- to stop
- to halt
- (dialect) to sleep
- a moment
How 歇 is built
Phono-semantic (sound + meaning) character. Yawn.
欠 gives the meaning and 曷 hints at the sound.
Radical: 欠 (to lack), shared by 28 characters on this site.
How to remember 歇
歇 combines 曷 (hé), which gives the sound, with 欠 (qiàn), a person with an open mouth yawning. When you start yawning, it is time to stop and rest.
歇 is common in speech for taking a short break, often as 歇一会儿 or 歇歇. It also appears in words like 歇息 (xiēxi) and 停歇 (tíngxiē). Example: 累了就歇一会儿吧。(Lèi le jiù xiē yíhuìr ba.) If you are tired, take a short rest.
Common mistake: Learners often confuse 歇 with 喝 (hē, to drink), since both use 曷 on one side. Remember that 歇 has 欠 on the right, while 喝 has 口 on the left.
Common words with 歇
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 歇斯底里 | xiēsīdǐlǐ | hysteria (loanword); hysterical | |
| 停歇 | tíngxiē | to stop for a rest | |
| 歇息 | xiēxi | to have a rest; to stay for the night |
歇 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Characters that contain 歇
Learning 歇 makes these easier to recognize and write.
Questions about 歇
How many strokes are in 歇?
歇 is written with 13 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 歇 mean?
歇 (xiē) means to rest; to take a break; to stop. A common word with it is 歇斯底里 (xiēsīdǐlǐ), meaning "hysteria (loanword); hysterical".
How do you pronounce 歇?
歇 is pronounced xiē, in the first tone (high and level).
What is the radical of 歇?
The radical of 歇 is 欠, which carries the idea of "to lack". Dictionaries list 歇 under this radical.
Is 歇 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 歇 is part of the HSK 5 character list in the HSK 3.0 standard.
What is the difference between 歇 and 休息?
休息 (xiūxi) is the standard, neutral word for rest and works in any context. 歇 is more casual and spoken, and it usually means a short break, as in 歇一下.
Why does 歇斯底里 mean hysterical?
歇斯底里 (xiēsīdǐlǐ) is a sound loan from the English word hysteria. The characters were chosen for their sound, so 歇 does not carry its meaning of rest in this word.