滓 meaning and stroke order
Sediment, lees, dregs
How to write 滓, 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 滓
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- (bound form) dregs; sediment
How 滓 is built
Phono-semantic (sound + meaning) character. Water.
氵 gives the meaning and 宰 hints at the sound.
Radical: 氵 (water), shared by 467 characters on this site.
How to remember 滓
The water radical 氵 on the left tells you this is about liquid, and 宰 (zǎi) on the right gives the sound. Picture the stuff that sinks to the bottom of the water: the dregs.
滓 (zǐ) is a bound form, so it almost never appears alone. You will mostly meet it in 渣滓 (zhāzǐ), which means residue or dregs, and it can also describe the worst people in society. Example: 杯底有一些茶叶渣滓。 (Bēi dǐ yǒu yìxiē cháyè zhāzǐ.) There are some tea leaf dregs at the bottom of the cup.
Common mistake: Learners often read 滓 as zǎi because its sound part 宰 is zǎi, but 滓 is zǐ. In 渣滓 it is usually said with a neutral tone, zhāzi.
Common words with 滓
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 渣滓 | zhāzǐ | residue; dregs |
Questions about 滓
How many strokes are in 滓?
滓 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 滓 mean?
滓 (zǐ) means sediment, lees, dregs. A common word with it is 渣滓 (zhāzǐ), meaning "residue; dregs".
How do you pronounce 滓?
滓 is pronounced zǐ, in the third tone (dipping).
What is the radical of 滓?
The radical of 滓 is 氵, which carries the idea of "water". Dictionaries list 滓 under this radical.
Can 渣滓 be used to describe people?
Yes. 社会渣滓 (shèhuì zhāzǐ) means the dregs of society, a strong insult for criminals or worthless people. Use it carefully because it is very harsh.
What is the difference between 渣滓 and 沉淀?
渣滓 (zhāzǐ) is the leftover waste or dregs, often with a negative feel. 沉淀 (chéndiàn) is the neutral, scientific word for sediment or the act of settling.