種 meaning and stroke order
Race, kind, breed; seed; to plant
How to write 種, stroke by stroke
14 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 種
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- seed
- species
- kind
- type
- classifier for types, kinds, sorts
- to plant
- to grow
- to cultivate
How 種 is built
Phono-semantic (sound + meaning) character. Grain.
禾 gives the meaning and 重 hints at the sound.
Radical: 禾 (cereal), shared by 66 characters on this site.
How to remember 種
種 combines 禾 (grain plant) with 重 (zhòng), which gives the sound. Picture a heavy (重) head of grain (禾) full of seeds, ready to be planted.
Read zhǒng, it means seed or kind and works as a classifier for types of things, as in 这种书 (zhè zhǒng shū) this kind of book. Read zhòng, it is the verb to plant: 我在院子里种花 (wǒ zài yuànzi lǐ zhòng huā) I plant flowers in the yard. Note that the common words list writes the simplified form 种.
Common mistake: Learners often use the third tone for the verb. To plant is fourth tone zhòng, as in 种植 (zhòngzhí), while seed and kind are third tone zhǒng, as in 种子 (zhǒngzi). Also do not confuse 種 with 重 (zhòng, heavy) alone, which lacks the 禾 grain side.
Common words with 種
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 各種 | gèzhǒng | every kind of; all kinds of; various | HSK 3 |
| 種子 | zhǒngzi | seed | HSK 3 |
| 種類 | zhǒnglèi | kind; genus | HSK 4 |
| 種植 | zhòngzhí | to plant; to grow (a crop); to cultivate | HSK 4 |
| 多種 | duō zhǒng | many kinds of; multiple; diverse; multi- | HSK 4 |
| 品種 | pǐnzhǒng | breed; variety | HSK 5 |
| 種種 | zhǒngzhǒng | all kinds of | HSK 6 |
| 種族 | zhǒngzú | race; ethnic group | HSK 7-9 |
| 這種 | zhèzhǒng | this kind of | |
| 一種 | yīzhǒng | one kind of; one type of | |
| 那種 | nàzhǒng | that kind of | |
| 某種 | mǒuzhǒng | some kind (of) | |
| 有種 | yǒuzhǒng | to have guts; to have courage | |
| 雜種 | zázhǒng | hybrid; mixed breed |
Questions about 種
How many strokes are in 種?
種 is written with 14 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 種 mean?
種 (zhǒng) means race, kind, breed; seed; to plant. A common word with it is 各种 (gèzhǒng), meaning "every kind of; all kinds of; various".
How do you pronounce 種?
種 is pronounced zhǒng, in the third tone (dipping).
What is the radical of 種?
The radical of 種 is 禾, which carries the idea of "cereal". Dictionaries list 種 under this radical.
What is the simplified form of 種?
種 is a traditional character. Its simplified form is 种, used in mainland China and Singapore.
How do I know whether to read 種 as zhǒng or zhòng?
If it is a noun or classifier meaning seed, kind or type, read zhǒng. If it is a verb meaning to plant or grow, read zhòng.
What is the difference between 种 (zhǒng) and 样 (yàng) as classifiers for kinds?
Both can mean kind, but 种 stresses a type or category, as in 两种水果 (liǎng zhǒng shuǐguǒ) two kinds of fruit. 样 leans toward appearance or style and is common in casual speech, as in 这样 (zhèyàng) like this.