着 meaning and stroke order
Aspect particle indicating action in progress or ongoing state
How to write 着, stroke by stroke
11 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
- 11
Meaning of 着
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- aspect particle indicating action in progress or ongoing state
- variant of 著|着[zhe5]
- a move in chess (Taiwan pr. [zhuo2])
- trick; tactic
- (dialect) okay; all right
- (dialect) to put in; to add
- variant of 著|着[zhao1]
- to touch
- to come in contact with
- to feel
- to be affected by
- to catch fire
- to burn
- to wear (clothes)
- to contact
- to use
- to apply
- variant of 著|着[zhuo2]
How 着 is built
Components of the character.
Radical: 目 (eye), shared by 100 characters on this site.
How to remember 着
着 is built from a 羊 (sheep) shape sitting on top of 目 (eye). Picture an eye fixed on a sheep, watching it as it keeps grazing, which links to the ongoing action that 着 (zhe) marks.
Most often 着 is the neutral-tone particle zhe placed right after a verb to show an ongoing state or action, as in 门开着 (mén kāizhe, the door is open). It is also read zháo in words like 睡着 (shuìzháo, to fall asleep) and 着急 (zháojí, to be anxious). Example: 他笑着说 (tā xiàozhe shuō) He said it with a smile.
Common mistake: Learners often confuse 着 with 看 (kàn) because both have 目 at the bottom, but 看 has a hand shape on top while 着 has a sheep shape. Another trap is reading 睡着 as shuìzhe; when it means falling asleep successfully it is shuìzháo.
Common words with 着
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 接着 | jiēzhe | to catch and hold on; to continue | HSK 2 |
| 睡着 | shuìzháo | to fall asleep | HSK 4 |
| 着火 | zháohuǒ | to catch fire | HSK 4 |
| 着急 | zháojí | to worry; to feel anxious; to feel a sense of urgency; to be in a hurry | HSK 4 |
| 意味着 | yìwèizhe | to signify; to mean | HSK 5 |
| 随着 | suízhe | along with; in the wake of | HSK 5 |
| 有着 | yǒuzhe | to have; to possess | HSK 5 |
| 用不着 | yòngbuzháo | not need; have no use for | HSK 5 |
| 沿着 | yánzhe | to go along; to follow | HSK 6 |
| 指着 | zhǐzhe | HSK 6 | |
| 背着 | bèizhe | carrying on one's back | HSK 6 |
| 用得着 | yòngdezháo | to be able to use; useable; to have a use for; (in a question) to be necessary to | HSK 6 |
| 挨着 | āizhe | near | HSK 6 |
| 穿着 | chuānzhuó | attire; clothes; dress | HSK 7-9 |
着 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Questions about 着
How many strokes are in 着?
着 is written with 11 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 着 mean?
着 (zhe) means aspect particle indicating action in progress or ongoing state. A common word with it is 接着 (jiēzhe), meaning "to catch and hold on; to continue".
How do you pronounce 着?
着 is pronounced zhe, in the neutral tone (short and light).
What is the radical of 着?
The radical of 着 is 目, which carries the idea of "eye". Dictionaries list 着 under this radical.
What is the traditional form of 着?
The traditional form of 着 is 著. Traditional characters are used in Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau; 着 is the simplified form used in mainland China and Singapore.
Is 着 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 着 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 着 (zhe) and 在 (zài) for ongoing actions?
在 goes before the verb and stresses that an action is in progress right now, as in 他在吃饭 (tā zài chīfàn). 着 goes after the verb and usually describes a continuing state or the manner of another action, as in 坐着看书 (zuòzhe kàn shū, read while sitting).
How do I know which pronunciation of 着 to use?
After a verb as a grammar particle it is zhe with a neutral tone. When it means reaching a result, touching, or being affected, as in 睡着 or 着火, it is zháo. In formal words about wearing or applying, like 着手 (zhuóshǒu, to set about), it is zhuó, and zhāo means a move or trick.