究 meaning and stroke order
To dig into, to investigate; actually, after all
How to write 究, stroke by stroke
7 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
Meaning of 究
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- after all
- to investigate
- to study carefully
- Taiwan pr. [jiu4]
How 究 is built
Phono-semantic (sound + meaning) character. Cave.
穴 gives the meaning and 九 hints at the sound.
Radical: 穴 (cave), shared by 46 characters on this site.
How to remember 究
究 is a cave 穴 on top with 九 (jiǔ) below, which gives the sound. Picture going deep into a cave to find out what is really at the bottom, and you have "to investigate."
究 rarely stands alone in modern Chinese. It appears in words like 研究 (yánjiū, research) and 究竟 (jiūjìng, after all, or what exactly). Example: 你究竟想要什么？ (Nǐ jiūjìng xiǎng yào shénme?) What exactly do you want?
Common mistake: Learners often read 究 as jiǔ because of the phonetic 九, but the standard tone is first tone, jiū. Also do not confuse it with 穷 (qióng, poor), which has the same cave top but 力 underneath.
Common words with 究
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 研究 | yánjiū | research; a study | HSK 4 |
| 究竟 | jiūjìng | to go to the bottom of a matter; after all | HSK 4 |
| 讲究 | jiǎngjiu | to pay particular attention to; carefully selected for quality | HSK 4 |
| 研究生 | yánjiūshēng | graduate student; postgraduate student | HSK 4 |
| 研究所 | yánjiūsuǒ | research institute; graduate studies | HSK 5 |
| 追究 | zhuījiū | to investigate; to look into | HSK 6 |
| 终究 | zhōngjiū | in the end; after all; eventually | HSK 7-9 |
| 研究员 | yánjiūyuán | researcher | |
| 探究 | tànjiū | to investigate; to delve | |
| 科学研究 | kēxuéyánjiū | scientific research | |
| 研究院 | yánjiūyuàn | research institute; academy | |
| 研究者 | yánjiūzhě | investigator; researcher |
究 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Questions about 究
How many strokes are in 究?
究 is written with 7 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 究 mean?
究 (jiū) means to dig into, to investigate; actually, after all. A common word with it is 研究 (yánjiū), meaning "research; a study".
How do you pronounce 究?
究 is pronounced jiū, in the first tone (high and level).
What is the radical of 究?
The radical of 究 is 穴, which carries the idea of "cave". Dictionaries list 究 under this radical.
Is 究 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 究 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 2.
What is the difference between 究竟 and 到底?
Both can mean "after all" or "what exactly" in questions. 到底 (dàodǐ) is more colloquial, while 究竟 sounds a little more formal and written. 到底 can also mean "to the end," as in 坚持到底, which 究竟 cannot.
Why is 究 sometimes pronounced jiù?
In Taiwan the common pronunciation is fourth tone, jiù. In mainland standard Mandarin it is first tone, jiū, so 研究 is yánjiū there.