第 meaning and stroke order
(prefix indicating ordinal number, as in 第六[di4 liu4] "sixth"); (literary) grades in which successful candidates in the imperial examinations were placed; (old) residence of a high official
How to write 第, 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.
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
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- 9
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- 11
Meaning of 第
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- (prefix indicating ordinal number, as in 第六[di4 liu4] "sixth")
- (literary) grades in which successful candidates in the imperial examinations were placed
- (old) residence of a high official
- (literary) but; however
- (literary) only; just
How 第 is built
Ideographic (compound meaning) character. Bamboo strips ⺮ arrayed in sequence; 弟 provides the pronunciation.
Radical: ⺮ (bamboo), shared by 149 characters on this site.
How to remember 第
Picture bamboo strips ⺮ lined up in order, with 弟 (dì, younger brother) underneath giving the sound. Younger brothers come in a sequence too: first, second, third.
第 (dì) goes before a number to make an ordinal, like 第一 (dìyī) first or 第五 (dìwǔ) fifth. It often appears with a measure word or noun after the number. Example: 这是我第一次来中国。(Zhè shì wǒ dì yī cì lái Zhōngguó.) This is my first time coming to China.
Common mistake: Learners often write 弟 (dì, younger brother) without the bamboo top, or mix up the two because they sound the same. Also note that the bottom of 第 is not exactly 弟: the top part of 弟 is replaced by the bamboo radical, so do not write the two little dots of 弟 under ⺮.
Common words with 第
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 第二 | dì-èr | second; number two | HSK 1 |
| 第一手 | dìyīshǒu | first-hand | HSK 7-9 |
| 第一线 | dìyīxiàn | front line; forefront | HSK 7-9 |
| 第一次 | dìyīcì | the first time; for the first time | |
| 第一 | dìyī | first; most important; primary; foremost | |
| 第二次 | dì'èrcì | the second time; the second occurrence | |
| 第二天 | dì'èrtiān | next day; the morrow | |
| 第五 | dìwǔ | fifth | |
| 第一步 | dìyībù | step one; first step | |
| 第四季 | dìsìjì | fourth quarter | |
| 第一眼 | dìyīyǎn | at first glance; at first sight | |
| 第一夫人 | dìyīfūrén | First Lady (wife of the head of state) | |
| 第六感 | dìliùgǎn | sixth sense (i.e. intuition, premonition, telepathy etc) | |
| 第三者 | dìsānzhě | third party; (in romance) the other woman or man |
第 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Questions about 第
How many strokes are in 第?
第 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 第 mean?
第 (dì) means (prefix indicating ordinal number, as in 第六[di4 liu4] "sixth"); (literary) grades in which successful candidates in the imperial examinations were placed; (old) residence of a high official. A common word with it is 第二 (dì-èr), meaning "second; number two".
How do you pronounce 第?
第 is pronounced dì, in the fourth tone (falling).
What is the radical of 第?
The radical of 第 is ⺮, which carries the idea of "bamboo". Dictionaries list 第 under this radical.
Is 第 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 第 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.
Do I need 第 to say 'Chapter 3' or 'Room 3'?
For ordinals like 第三章 (dì sān zhāng) Chapter 3, yes. For labels and numbers such as room numbers or bus routes, Chinese usually skips 第, as in 三号 (sān hào) number three or 三路车 (sān lù chē) bus route 3.
What does 第二天 mean, and is it different from 明天?
第二天 (dì'èrtiān) means 'the next day' relative to some past or story event. 明天 (míngtiān) means tomorrow relative to today, so use 第二天 when narrating.