移 meaning and stroke order
To move; to shift; to change
How to write 移, 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.
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Meaning of 移
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- to move
- to shift
- to change
- to alter
- to remove
How 移 is built
Components of the character.
Radical: 禾 (cereal), shared by 66 characters on this site.
How to remember 移
移 is made of 禾 (hé, grain plant) on the left and 多 (duō, many) on the right. Picture many grain seedlings being dug up and moved to a new field, which is a handy way to remember 移 as "to move" or "to shift."
移 rarely stands alone in speech and usually appears in compounds like 移动 (yídòng, to move), 转移 (zhuǎnyí, to transfer) and 移民 (yímín, to immigrate). Example: 他们十年前移民到了加拿大。(Tāmen shí nián qián yímín dào le Jiānádà.) They immigrated to Canada ten years ago.
Common mistake: Learners often confuse 移 (yí) with 多 (duō) because 多 is the right half, or misread it as duō. Also keep the second tone yí, not the fourth tone yì as in 易 (easy).
Common words with 移
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 移动 | yídòng | to move; movement | HSK 4 |
| 转移 | zhuǎnyí | to shift; to relocate; to transfer; (fig.) to shift (attention); to change (the subject et | HSK 4 |
| 移民 | yímín | to immigrate; to migrate | HSK 4 |
| 移植 | yízhí | to transplant | HSK 7-9 |
| 移交 | yíjiāo | to transfer; to hand over | HSK 7-9 |
| 迁移 | qiānyí | to migrate; to move | HSK 7-9 |
| 推移 | tuīyí | (of time) to elapse; to pass; (of a situation) to develop; to evolve | HSK 7-9 |
| 潜移默化 | qiányí-mòhuà | imperceptible influence; to influence secretly | HSK 7-9 |
| 愚公移山 | yúgōng-yíshān | the old man moves mountains (idiom); fig. where there's a will, there's a way | HSK 7-9 |
| 移开 | yíkāi | to move away | |
| 移民局 | yímínjú | immigration office | |
| 移除 | yíchú | to remove | |
| 漂移 | piāoyí | to drift | |
| 移居 | yíjū | to migrate; to move to a new place of residence |
移 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Questions about 移
How many strokes are in 移?
移 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 移 mean?
移 (yí) means to move; to shift; to change. A common word with it is 移动 (yídòng), meaning "to move; movement".
How do you pronounce 移?
移 is pronounced yí, in the second tone (rising).
What is the radical of 移?
The radical of 移 is 禾, which carries the idea of "cereal". Dictionaries list 移 under this radical.
Is 移 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 移 is part of the HSK 4 character list in the HSK 3.0 standard, and you are expected to write it by hand from HSK 3.
What is the difference between 移动 and 搬?
移动 (yídòng) is a general or formal word for changing position, used for objects, signals or even mobile networks. 搬 (bān) is everyday and means physically carrying something heavy or moving house, as in 搬家 (bānjiā).
What does 移 mean in 中国移动?
中国移动 (Zhōngguó Yídòng) is China Mobile, the telecom company. Here 移动 means "mobile," as in mobile phone service, and 移动电话 (yídòng diànhuà) is a formal word for a mobile phone.