父 meaning and stroke order
Father, dad
How to write 父, stroke by stroke
4 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
Meaning of 父
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- (bound form) father
- (bound form) male relative of father's generation (as in 伯父[bo2 fu4])
- (computing) (bound form) parent-
How 父 is built
Ideographic (compound meaning) character. A hand 乂 holding an axe 八.
How to remember 父
The etymology hint pictures a hand 乂 holding an axe 八, so 父 (fù) shows a man at work with a tool. Picture the top strokes 八 as the axe and the crossed 乂 below as the hand of the father who chops the wood.
父 is a bound form, so it rarely stands alone in speech. It appears inside words like 父亲 (fùqīn), 父母 (fùmǔ), and 祖父 (zǔfù), and in everyday talk people usually say 爸爸 (bàba) instead. Example: 我的父母住在北京。 (Wǒ de fùmǔ zhù zài Běijīng.) My parents live in Beijing.
Common mistake: Learners often confuse 父 (fù) with 交 (jiāo, to hand over), which has 父 inside it under a 亠 top. Also, 父 is fourth tone in 父亲 and 祖父, but in 师父 (shīfu) it is said in the neutral tone.
Common words with 父
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 父亲 | fùqīn | father; also pr. [fu4 qin5] | HSK 3 |
| 父母 | fùmǔ | father and mother; parents | HSK 3 |
| 师父 | shīfu | used for 師傅|师傅 (in Taiwan); master | HSK 6 |
| 祖父 | zǔfù | father's father; paternal grandfather | HSK 6 |
| 父子 | fùzǐ | father and son | HSK 6 |
| 父女 | fùnǚ | father and daughter | HSK 6 |
| 伯父 | bófù | father's elder brother; term of respect for older man | HSK 7-9 |
| 继父 | jìfù | stepfather | HSK 7-9 |
| 岳父 | yuèfù | wife's father, father-in-law | HSK 7-9 |
| 神父 | shénfu | Catholic or Orthodox priest; Father (title of address) | |
| 教父 | jiàofù | godfather | |
| 天父 | tiānfù | Heavenly Father | |
| 曾祖父 | zēngzǔfù | father's father's father; paternal great-grandfather | |
| 祖父母 | zǔfùmǔ | paternal grandparents |
父 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Characters that contain 父
Learning 父 makes these easier to recognize and write.
Questions about 父
How many strokes are in 父?
父 is written with 4 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 父 mean?
父 (fù) means father, dad. A common word with it is 父亲 (fùqīn), meaning "father; also pr. [fu4 qin5]".
How do you pronounce 父?
父 is pronounced fù, in the fourth tone (falling).
Is 父 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 父 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 2.
What is the difference between 父亲 and 爸爸?
父亲 (fùqīn) is formal and common in writing, speeches, and official forms. 爸爸 (bàba) is what people say when talking to or about their dad in daily life.
Why does 父 appear in words for uncles and teachers?
父 also marks a man of the father's generation, as in 伯父 (bófù), father's elder brother, which is also a respectful term for an older man. In 师父 (shīfu), a master or teacher is treated with the respect given to a father.