真 meaning and stroke order
Really; truly; indeed
How to write 真, 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.
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
- 7
- 8
- 9
- 10
Meaning of 真
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- really
- truly
- indeed
- real
- true
- genuine
How 真 is built
Ideographic (compound meaning) character. A straight 直 (that is, level) table 几.
Radical: 目 (eye), shared by 100 characters on this site.
How to remember 真
Picture a table 几 (jī) on the bottom with 直 (zhí, straight) on top. A table that stands perfectly straight and level is the real thing, so 真 means true or genuine.
真 (zhēn) often works as an adverb meaning "really" before adjectives, and 真的 (zhēn de) can mean "really" or "real". Example: 今天真冷。(Jīntiān zhēn lěng.) It is really cold today.
Common mistake: Learners often write the top part like 直 with the wrong number of horizontal strokes inside the box. In 真 there are three short horizontals inside, and the bottom is a long horizontal line with two dots below, not 几 written separately. Also do not confuse 真 (zhēn, first tone) with 镇 (zhèn, town), which adds the metal radical and has a fourth tone.
Common words with 真
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 真的 | zhēn de | really; truly; indeed; real; true; genuine | HSK 1 |
| 认真 | rènzhēn | conscientious; earnest | HSK 1 |
| 真正 | zhēnzhèng | genuine; real; true; really; indeed | HSK 2 |
| 真实 | zhēnshí | true; real | HSK 3 |
| 天真 | tiānzhēn | naive; innocent | HSK 4 |
| 真相 | zhēnxiàng | the truth about sth; the actual facts | HSK 5 |
| 真理 | zhēnlǐ | truth | HSK 5 |
| 真诚 | zhēnchéng | sincere; genuine; true | HSK 5 |
| 传真 | chuánzhēn | to fax; a fax | HSK 5 |
| 说真的 | shuō zhēnde | to tell the truth; honestly | HSK 7-9 |
| 真心 | zhēnxīn | wholeheartedness; sincerity | HSK 7-9 |
| 当真 | dàngzhēn | to take seriously; serious | HSK 7-9 |
| 真空 | zhēnkōng | (physics) vacuum; (fig.) vacuum | HSK 7-9 |
| 清真寺 | qīngzhēnsì | mosque | HSK 7-9 |
真 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Characters that contain 真
Learning 真 makes these easier to recognize and write.
Questions about 真
How many strokes are in 真?
真 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 真 mean?
真 (zhēn) means really; truly; indeed. A common word with it is 真的 (zhēn de), meaning "really; truly; indeed; real; true; genuine".
How do you pronounce 真?
真 is pronounced zhēn, in the first tone (high and level).
What is the radical of 真?
The radical of 真 is 目, which carries the idea of "eye". Dictionaries list 真 under this radical.
Is 真 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 真 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.
What is the difference between 真 and 很 before an adjective?
很 (hěn) is a neutral "very" used in plain statements. 真 (zhēn) adds personal feeling, like "really" or "so" in an exclamation. 他很高 states a fact, while 他真高 sounds like you are impressed.
How do I use 真的 to ask if something is true?
Say 真的吗？(Zhēn de ma?) to mean "Really?" when you hear surprising news. You can also answer 真的 (zhēn de) on its own to mean "It is true."