武 meaning and stroke order
Military; martial, warlike
How to write 武, 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
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- 3
- 4
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- 8
Meaning of 武
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- martial
- military
How 武 is built
Ideographic (compound meaning) character. To stop someone 止 with an arrow 弋.
Radical: 止 (to stop), shared by 12 characters on this site.
How to remember 武
Picture a foot 止 (zhǐ, stop) standing under an arrow 弋 (yì): the hint says 武 means to stop someone with an arrow. Using weapons to halt an enemy is the idea behind martial and military.
武 (wǔ) rarely stands alone in speech and mostly appears in compound words about weapons, fighting, and the military, such as 武器 (wǔqì, weapon) and 武术 (wǔshù, martial arts). Example: 他从小练武术。 (Tā cóngxiǎo liàn wǔshù.) He has practiced martial arts since he was a child.
Common mistake: Many learners write 武 with a dot and an extra left-falling stroke like 戈 (gē), but 武 uses 弋 (yì) and has no left-falling stroke on the hook. Also keep the tone third: wǔ, not wù as in 物 (wù) or 务 (wù).
Common words with 武
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 武器 | wǔqì | weapon; arms | HSK 3 |
| 武术 | wǔshù | military skill or technique (in former times); all kinds of martial art sports (some claim | HSK 3 |
| 武装 | wǔzhuāng | arms; equipment | HSK 7-9 |
| 武力 | wǔlì | military force | HSK 7-9 |
| 核武器 | héwǔqì | nuclear weapon | HSK 7-9 |
| 武士 | wǔshì | warrior; samurai | |
| 武功 | Wǔgōng | martial art; military accomplishments | |
| 比武 | bǐwǔ | martial arts competition; tournament | |
| 全副武装 | quánfùwǔzhuāng | fully armed; armed to the teeth | |
| 核武 | héwǔ | nuclear weapon | |
| 生化武器 | shēnghuàwǔqì | biological weapon | |
| 武林 | wǔlín | martial arts (social) circles | |
| 武馆 | wǔguǎn | martial arts school | |
| 威武 | wēiwǔ | might; formidable |
武 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Characters that contain 武
Learning 武 makes these easier to recognize and write.
Questions about 武
How many strokes are in 武?
武 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 武 mean?
武 (wǔ) means military; martial, warlike. A common word with it is 武器 (wǔqì), meaning "weapon; arms".
How do you pronounce 武?
武 is pronounced wǔ, in the third tone (dipping).
What is the radical of 武?
The radical of 武 is 止, which carries the idea of "to stop". Dictionaries list 武 under this radical.
Is 武 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 武 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 武 and 文?
武 (wǔ) covers the martial and military side of life, while 文 (wén) covers writing, culture, and civil matters. They are often paired, as in 文武双全 (wénwǔ shuāngquán), skilled in both letters and arms.
Is 武 used in names?
Yes. 武 (Wǔ) is a common Chinese surname, as in Empress 武则天 (Wǔ Zétiān), and it also appears in place names like 武汉 (Wǔhàn).