此 meaning and stroke order
This; these
How to write 此, stroke by stroke
6 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
Meaning of 此
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- this; these
How 此 is built
Phono-semantic (sound + meaning) character. Sitting man.
匕 gives the meaning and 止 hints at the sound.
Radical: 止 (to stop), shared by 12 characters on this site.
How to remember 此
此 (cǐ) is made of 止 (zhǐ, stop) on the left and 匕 on the right, which the etymology hint describes as a sitting man. Picture a person who has stopped and sat down right here, at this spot, and you have "this" or "here."
此 is a more formal, written way to say "this" and mostly appears inside fixed words like 因此 (yīncǐ), 此外 (cǐwài) and 如此 (rúcǐ) rather than alone in casual speech, where people say 这 (zhè). Example: 他很忙，因此没来。(Tā hěn máng, yīncǐ méi lái.) He was very busy, so he did not come.
Common mistake: Learners often use 此 in everyday speech as a direct swap for 这, saying things like 此个 instead of 这个, which sounds wrong. Also watch the tone: 此 is third tone cǐ, not the fourth tone cì of 次 (time, occurrence), which sounds similar.
Common words with 此
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 因此 | yīncǐ | thus; consequently; as a result | HSK 3 |
| 从此 | cóngcǐ | from now on; since then | HSK 4 |
| 此外 | cǐwài | besides; in addition; moreover; furthermore | HSK 4 |
| 如此 | rúcǐ | like this; so; such | HSK 5 |
| 彼此 | bǐcǐ | each other; one another | HSK 5 |
| 此刻 | cǐkè | this moment; now | HSK 5 |
| 此时 | cǐshí | now; this moment | HSK 5 |
| 由此 | yóu cǐ | hereby; from this | HSK 5 |
| 此后 | cǐhòu | after this; afterwards | HSK 5 |
| 为此 | wèicǐ | for this reason; with regards to this | HSK 6 |
| 此事 | cǐshì | this matter | HSK 6 |
| 此次 | cǐ cì | this time | HSK 6 |
| 此处 | cǐ chù | this place; here (literary) | HSK 6 |
| 此前 | cǐqián | before this; before then | HSK 6 |
此 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Characters that contain 此
Learning 此 makes these easier to recognize and write.
Questions about 此
How many strokes are in 此?
此 is written with 6 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 此 mean?
此 (cǐ) means this; these. A common word with it is 因此 (yīncǐ), meaning "thus; consequently; as a result".
How do you pronounce 此?
此 is pronounced cǐ, in the third tone (dipping).
What is the radical of 此?
The radical of 此 is 止, which carries the idea of "to stop". Dictionaries list 此 under this radical.
Is 此 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 此 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 此 and 这?
Both mean "this," but 这 (zhè) is the normal spoken word and works with measure words like 这个. 此 is literary and formal, so it mostly appears in set phrases, writing, signs and speeches.
What does 彼此 mean and how is it used?
彼此 (bǐcǐ) literally pairs "that" and "this" to mean "each other." For example, 我们彼此帮助 (wǒmen bǐcǐ bāngzhù) means "we help each other."