滋 meaning and stroke order
To grow, to nourish; to multiply, to thrive
How to write 滋, 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 滋
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- to grow
- to nourish
- to increase
- to cause
- juice
- taste
How 滋 is built
Phono-semantic (sound + meaning) character. Water.
氵 gives the meaning and 兹 hints at the sound.
Radical: 氵 (water), shared by 467 characters on this site.
How to remember 滋
滋 combines water 氵 with 兹 (zī), which gives the sound. Picture water soaking into plants so they grow and thrive, which is what 滋 means: to nourish.
滋 rarely stands alone and mostly appears in words like 滋味 (zīwèi, taste), 滋润 (zīrùn, moist, to moisten) and 滋生 (zīshēng, to breed). It is also the sound character in 艾滋病 (àizībìng, AIDS). Example: 这道菜很有滋味。(Zhè dào cài hěn yǒu zīwèi.) This dish is very flavorful.
Common mistake: Learners often confuse 滋 with 磁 (cí, magnetic) and 慈 (cí, kind), which share the 兹 part but have different radicals and the second tone. Remember that only the water version 滋 is read zī with the first tone.
Common words with 滋
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 滋味 | zīwèi | taste; flavor | HSK 7-9 |
| 艾滋病 | àizībìng | (loanword) AIDS | HSK 7-9 |
| 滋润 | zīrùn | moist; humid | HSK 7-9 |
| 美滋滋 | měizīzī | very happy; elated | HSK 7-9 |
| 滋生 | zīshēng | to breed; to flourish | |
| 艾滋 | àizī | (loanword) AIDS | |
| 爱滋 | àizī | AIDS (loanword); see also 愛滋病|爱滋病[ai4 zi1 bing4] | |
| 爱滋病 | àizībìng | variant of 艾滋病[ai4 zi1 bing4] | |
| 滋养 | zīyǎng | to nourish |
滋 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Questions about 滋
How many strokes are in 滋?
滋 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 滋 mean?
滋 (zī) means to grow, to nourish; to multiply, to thrive. A common word with it is 滋味 (zīwèi), meaning "taste; flavor".
How do you pronounce 滋?
滋 is pronounced zī, in the first tone (high and level).
What is the radical of 滋?
The radical of 滋 is 氵, which carries the idea of "water". Dictionaries list 滋 under this radical.
Is 滋 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 滋 is part of the HSK 7-9 character list in the HSK 3.0 standard.
What does 美滋滋 mean and how is it used?
美滋滋 (měizīzī) describes someone feeling very pleased or happy inside. It often follows a verb or describes a state, as in 他心里美滋滋的 (tā xīnli měizīzī de), he feels delighted inside.
Is it 艾滋病 or 爱滋病 for AIDS?
Both appear, but 艾滋病 (àizībìng) is the standard form in mainland China. 爱滋病 is a variant spelling seen more often in Taiwan.