牺 meaning and stroke order
To sacrifice, to give up, to die for a cause
How to write 牺, stroke by stroke
10 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 牺
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- sacrifice
How 牺 is built
Phono-semantic (sound + meaning) character. Ox.
牛 gives the meaning and 西 hints at the sound.
Radical: 牛 (ox), shared by 34 characters on this site.
How to remember 牺
牺 is an ox 牛 (niú) on the left with 西 (xī) on the right giving the sound. Picture an ox offered up as a sacrifice, and 西 tells you to say xī.
牺 almost never appears alone. It lives in the word 牺牲 (xīshēng), which means to sacrifice your life or to give up something you value. Example: 他为了家人牺牲了很多。(Tā wèile jiārén xīshēng le hěn duō.) He sacrificed a lot for his family.
Common mistake: Learners often write the left side as a full 牛, but as a side component the last stroke becomes a rising stroke, like in 物 (wù). Also do not confuse 牺 with 栖 (qī, to perch), which has 木 on the left instead of the ox.
Common words with 牺
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 牺牲 | xīshēng | to sacrifice one's life; to sacrifice (sth valued) | HSK 6 |
| 牺牲品 | xīshēngpǐn | sacrificial victim; sb who is expendable | |
| 牺牲者 | xīshēngzhě | sb who sacrifices himself; sacrificial victim |
牺 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Questions about 牺
How many strokes are in 牺?
牺 is written with 10 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 牺 mean?
牺 (xī) means to sacrifice, to give up, to die for a cause. A common word with it is 牺牲 (xīshēng), meaning "to sacrifice one's life; to sacrifice (sth valued)".
How do you pronounce 牺?
牺 is pronounced xī, in the first tone (high and level).
What is the radical of 牺?
The radical of 牺 is 牛, which carries the idea of "ox". Dictionaries list 牺 under this radical.
What is the traditional form of 牺?
The traditional form of 牺 is 犧. Traditional characters are used in Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau; 牺 is the simplified form used in mainland China and Singapore.
Is 牺 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 牺 is part of the HSK 6 character list in the HSK 3.0 standard.
Can 牺牲 be used for small, everyday sacrifices?
Yes. Besides dying for a cause, 牺牲 is common for giving up time, sleep, or weekends, as in 牺牲休息时间 (xīshēng xiūxi shíjiān), to give up rest time.
What does 牺牲品 mean in daily speech?
牺牲品 (xīshēngpǐn) literally means a sacrificial victim. People often use it for someone who is treated as expendable or who suffers because of others' decisions.