点 meaning and stroke order
To touch briefly; to tap; to mark with a dot; to check off (on a list); to order (food etc); to select
How to write 点, stroke by stroke
9 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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- 9
Meaning of 点
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- to touch briefly; to tap
- to mark with a dot; to check off (on a list)
- to order (food etc); to select
- to mention; to bring up (a topic or person)
- to hint at; to imply
- to administer (eye medicine etc) in drops
How 点 is built
Phono-semantic (sound + meaning) character. Fire.
灬 gives the meaning and 占 hints at the sound.
Radical: 灬 (fire), shared by 28 characters on this site.
How to remember 点
点 is built from 占 (zhàn), which gives the sound, on top of 灬, the fire radical. Picture tiny sparks from a fire leaving little dots below 占, and you have 点 (diǎn), a dot or point.
点 is everywhere in daily Chinese. It means a small amount in 一点儿 (yīdiǎnr) and 有点儿 (yǒudiǎnr), it is the verb for ordering food, and it tells the hour on the clock. Example: 我们点菜吧。(Wǒmen diǎn cài ba.) Let's order.
Common mistake: Learners often mix up 有点儿 and 一点儿. 有点儿 goes before an adjective, usually for something unwanted, as in 有点儿贵 (a bit expensive). 一点儿 goes after an adjective or before a noun, as in 便宜一点儿 (a bit cheaper).
Common words with 点
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 地点 | dìdiǎn | place; site | HSK 1 |
| 一点儿 | yīdiǎnr | erhua variant of 一點|一点[yi1 dian3] | HSK 1 |
| 一点点 | yī diǎndiǎn | a little bit | HSK 2 |
| 重点 | zhòngdiǎn | to recount (e.g. results of election); to re-evaluate | HSK 2 |
| 观点 | guāndiǎn | point of view; viewpoint | HSK 2 |
| 有点儿 | yǒudiǎnr | slightly; a little | HSK 2 |
| 快点儿 | kuài diǎnr | erhua variant of 快點|快点[kuai4 dian3] | HSK 2 |
| 点头 | diǎntóu | to nod | HSK 2 |
| 特点 | tèdiǎn | characteristic; trait; feature | HSK 2 |
| 有一点儿 | yǒuyīdiǎnr | a bit; a little | HSK 2 |
| 缺点 | quēdiǎn | weak point; fault | HSK 3 |
| 优点 | yōudiǎn | merit; benefit | HSK 3 |
| 晚点 | wǎndiǎn | (of trains etc) late; delayed | HSK 4 |
| 点名 | diǎnmíng | roll call; to mention sb by name | HSK 4 |
点 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Questions about 点
How many strokes are in 点?
点 is written with 9 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 点 mean?
点 (diǎn) means to touch briefly; to tap; to mark with a dot; to check off (on a list); to order (food etc); to select. A common word with it is 地点 (dìdiǎn), meaning "place; site".
How do you pronounce 点?
点 is pronounced diǎn, in the third tone (dipping).
What is the radical of 点?
The radical of 点 is 灬, which carries the idea of "fire". Dictionaries list 点 under this radical.
What is the traditional form of 点?
The traditional form of 点 is 點. Traditional characters are used in Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau; 点 is the simplified form used in mainland China and Singapore.
Is 点 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 点 is part of the HSK 1 character list in the HSK 3.0 standard, and you are expected to write it by hand from HSK 1.
How do you use 点 to tell time in Chinese?
点 marks the hour, so 三点 (sān diǎn) means three o'clock. You can add 钟 (zhōng) for a fuller form, as in 三点钟. Minutes follow, as in 三点十分 (3:10).
Does 点 mean the decimal point in numbers?
Yes. 点 is read for the decimal point, so 3.5 is 三点五 (sān diǎn wǔ). It is also used in web and email addresses, where 点 is said for the dot.