犧 meaning and stroke order
To sacrifice, to give up, to die for a cause
How to write 犧, stroke by stroke
20 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 犧
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- sacrifice
How 犧 is built
Phono-semantic (sound + meaning) character. Ox.
牛 gives the meaning and 羲 hints at the sound.
Radical: 牛 (ox), shared by 34 characters on this site.
How to remember 犧
犧 combines 牛 (ox) on the left with 羲 (xī) on the right, which gives the sound. Picture an ox offered up as a sacrifice, and remember that 羲 tells you to read it xī.
犧 almost never appears alone. It lives in the word 犧牲 (xīshēng), meaning to sacrifice or to give one's life for something, and in related words like 犧牲品 (xīshēngpǐn). Example: 他為了家人犧牲了很多。(Tā wèile jiārén xīshēng le hěn duō.) He sacrificed a lot for his family.
Common mistake: Learners often write the right side as 義 (yì) and drop the extra strokes of 羲, which has 兮 at the bottom. Also keep the first tone: xī, not xǐ.
Common words with 犧
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 犧牲 | xīshēng | to sacrifice one's life; to sacrifice (sth valued) | HSK 6 |
| 犧牲品 | xīshēngpǐn | sacrificial victim; sb who is expendable | |
| 犧牲者 | xīshēngzhě | sb who sacrifices himself; sacrificial victim |
Questions about 犧
How many strokes are in 犧?
犧 is written with 20 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 犧 mean?
犧 (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 犧?
犧 is pronounced xī, in the first tone (high and level).
What is the radical of 犧?
The radical of 犧 is 牛, which carries the idea of "ox". Dictionaries list 犧 under this radical.
What is the simplified form of 犧?
犧 is a traditional character. Its simplified form is 牺, used in mainland China and Singapore.
Is 犧牲 only about dying?
No. 犧牲 can mean dying for a cause, but it is also used for giving up time, money, or comfort, as in 犧牲休息時間 (xīshēng xiūxi shíjiān), giving up rest time.
What does 犧牲品 mean in everyday speech?
Literally it is a sacrificial victim, but people often use it for someone who gets hurt or used so others can benefit, like a scapegoat or a pawn.