知 meaning and stroke order
To know, to perceive, to comprehend
How to write 知, stroke by stroke
8 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
Meaning of 知
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- to know
- to be aware
How 知 is built
Phono-semantic (sound + meaning) character. Mouth.
口 gives the meaning and 矢 hints at the sound.
Radical: 矢 (arrow), shared by 11 characters on this site.
How to remember 知
知 (zhī) puts 矢 (shǐ, arrow) next to 口 (kǒu, mouth). The data marks 矢 as the sound part and 口 as the meaning part, so picture knowledge flying out of your mouth as fast as an arrow when you know the answer.
知 rarely stands alone in everyday speech. It usually appears in words like 知道 (zhīdào, to know), 知识 (zhīshi, knowledge) and 通知 (tōngzhī, to notify). Example: 我不知道。(Wǒ bù zhīdào.) I don't know.
Common mistake: Learners often write the left side as 失 (shī, to lose), which has a stroke poking through the top. In 知 the left part is 矢, and its top does not stick out. Also note that 知道 is often said with a neutral tone, zhīdao, in casual speech.
Common words with 知
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 知道 | zhīdào | to know; to become aware of; also pr. [zhi1dao5] | HSK 1 |
| 知识 | zhīshi | knowledge; intellectual | HSK 1 |
| 通知 | tōngzhī | to notify; to inform | HSK 2 |
| 通知书 | tōngzhīshū | written notice | HSK 4 |
| 知名 | zhīmíng | well-known; famous | HSK 6 |
| 不知 | bùzhī | not to know; unaware | HSK 7-9 |
| 得知 | dézhī | to find out; to learn of | HSK 7-9 |
| 告知 | gàozhī | to inform; to notify | HSK 7-9 |
| 一无所知 | yīwúsuǒzhī | (idiom) not knowing anything at all; completely ignorant | HSK 7-9 |
| 无知 | wúzhī | ignorant; ignorance | HSK 7-9 |
| 不知不觉 | bùzhī-bùjué | (idiom) unconsciously; unwittingly | HSK 7-9 |
| 知觉 | zhījué | perception; consciousness | HSK 7-9 |
| 众所周知 | zhòngsuǒzhōuzhī | (idiom) as everyone knows | HSK 7-9 |
| 认知 | rènzhī | cognition; cognitive | HSK 7-9 |
知 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Characters that contain 知
Learning 知 makes these easier to recognize and write.
Questions about 知
How many strokes are in 知?
知 is written with 8 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 知 mean?
知 (zhī) means to know, to perceive, to comprehend. A common word with it is 知道 (zhīdào), meaning "to know; to become aware of; also pr. [zhi1dao5]".
How do you pronounce 知?
知 is pronounced zhī, in the first tone (high and level).
What is the radical of 知?
The radical of 知 is 矢, which carries the idea of "arrow". Dictionaries list 知 under this radical.
Is 知 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 知 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 知道 and 认识?
知道 (zhīdào) means to know a fact or piece of information. 认识 (rènshi) means to know a person or to recognize something, like a character. You say 我认识他 for 'I know him' but 我知道他的名字 for 'I know his name'.
How is 知 related to 智?
智 (zhì, wisdom) contains 知 on top with 日 below. Both share the idea of knowing, but 知 is about knowing or being aware, while 智 is about wisdom or intelligence, as in 智能 (zhìnéng, smart).