种 meaning and stroke order
Seed; species; kind
How to write 种, stroke by stroke
9 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 种
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- seed
- species
- kind
- type
- classifier for types, kinds, sorts
- to plant
- to grow
- to cultivate
How 种 is built
Phono-semantic (sound + meaning) character. Grain.
禾 gives the meaning and 中 hints at the sound.
Radical: 禾 (cereal), shared by 66 characters on this site.
How to remember 种
种 combines 禾 (grain) on the left with 中 (zhōng) on the right, which gives the sound. Picture a grain seed placed right in the middle (中) of the field: that seed is what you plant, and seeds come in different kinds.
As zhǒng it is a very common classifier meaning "kind" or "type," and it appears in words like 种子 (zhǒngzi, seed) and 各种 (gèzhǒng, all kinds of). As zhòng it is a verb meaning to plant or grow. Example: 我喜欢这种茶。(Wǒ xǐhuan zhè zhǒng chá.) I like this kind of tea.
Common mistake: Learners often use the third tone for the verb, but "to plant" is zhòng in the fourth tone, as in 种树 (zhòng shù, to plant trees). Also do not confuse it with 钟 (zhōng, clock), which has the metal radical 钅 instead of 禾.
Common words with 种
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 各种 | gèzhǒng | every kind of; all kinds of; various | HSK 3 |
| 种子 | zhǒngzi | seed | HSK 3 |
| 种类 | zhǒnglèi | kind; genus | HSK 4 |
| 种植 | zhòngzhí | to plant; to grow (a crop); to cultivate | HSK 4 |
| 多种 | duō zhǒng | many kinds of; multiple; diverse; multi- | HSK 4 |
| 品种 | pǐnzhǒng | breed; variety | HSK 5 |
| 种种 | zhǒngzhǒng | all kinds of | HSK 6 |
| 种族 | zhǒngzú | race; ethnic group | HSK 7-9 |
| 这种 | zhèzhǒng | this kind of | |
| 一种 | yīzhǒng | one kind of; one type of | |
| 那种 | nàzhǒng | that kind of | |
| 某种 | mǒuzhǒng | some kind (of) | |
| 有种 | yǒuzhǒng | to have guts; to have courage | |
| 杂种 | zázhǒng | hybrid; mixed breed |
种 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Questions about 种
How many strokes are in 种?
种 is written with 9 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 种 mean?
种 (zhǒng) means seed; species; kind. A common word with it is 各种 (gèzhǒng), meaning "every kind of; all kinds of; various".
How do you pronounce 种?
种 is pronounced zhǒng, in the third tone (dipping).
What is the radical of 种?
The radical of 种 is 禾, which carries the idea of "cereal". Dictionaries list 种 under this radical.
What is the traditional form of 种?
The traditional form of 种 is 種. Traditional characters are used in Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau; 种 is the simplified form used in mainland China and Singapore.
Is 种 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 种 is part of the HSK 3 character list in the HSK 3.0 standard, and you are expected to write it by hand from HSK 2.
How do I know whether 种 is read zhǒng or zhòng?
If it is a noun or classifier meaning seed, kind, or type, read it zhǒng. If it is a verb meaning to plant or cultivate, read it zhòng, as in 种植 (zhòngzhí) and 种菜 (zhòng cài).
What is the difference between 种 and 样 when saying "kind"?
种 (zhǒng) groups things by type or category, as in 这种水果 (this kind of fruit). 样 (yàng) leans more toward appearance or style, as in 这样 (like this) and 各样 (all sorts). In many everyday phrases 种 is the safer classifier for "kind."