策 meaning and stroke order
To urge, to whip; method, plan, policy
How to write 策, stroke by stroke
12 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
- 8
- 9
- 10
- 11
- 12
Meaning of 策
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- policy
- plan
- scheme
- bamboo slip for writing (old)
- to whip (a horse)
- to encourage
How 策 is built
Phono-semantic (sound + meaning) character. Bamboo.
⺮ gives the meaning and 朿 hints at the sound.
Radical: ⺮ (bamboo), shared by 149 characters on this site.
How to remember 策
策 has bamboo ⺮ on top and 朿 (cì, a thorn) below as the sound part. Picture a bamboo whip with a sharp tip used to urge a horse forward, and later bamboo slips where plans and policies were written.
Today 策 mostly means a plan or policy and appears in formal words like 政策 (zhèngcè), 策略 (cèlüè) and 对策 (duìcè). It is rarely used alone in modern speech. Example: 我们需要想一个对策。(Wǒmen xūyào xiǎng yí ge duìcè.) We need to think of a countermeasure.
Common mistake: Learners often confuse the bottom part 朿 with 束 (shù, to bind), which has an extra horizontal box shape. Note that 束手无策 (shùshǒuwúcè) contains both, so write each one carefully.
Common words with 策
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 政策 | zhèngcè | policy | HSK 6 |
| 策略 | cèlüè | strategy; tactics; crafty; adroit | HSK 6 |
| 策划 | cèhuà | to plot; to scheme | HSK 6 |
| 决策 | juécè | strategic decision; decision-making | HSK 6 |
| 对策 | duìcè | countermeasure for dealing with a situation | HSK 7-9 |
| 计策 | jìcè | stratagem | HSK 7-9 |
| 鞭策 | biāncè | to spur on; to urge on | HSK 7-9 |
| 束手无策 | shùshǒuwúcè | lit. to have one's hands bound and be unable to do anything about it (idiom); fig. helples | |
| 策反 | cèfǎn | to instigate (rebellion etc); incitement (e.g. to desertion within opposing camp) | |
| 外交政策 | wàijiāozhèngcè | foreign policy | |
| 上策 | shàngcè | best course of action; best policy |
策 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Questions about 策
How many strokes are in 策?
策 is written with 12 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 策 mean?
策 (cè) means to urge, to whip; method, plan, policy. A common word with it is 政策 (zhèngcè), meaning "policy".
How do you pronounce 策?
策 is pronounced cè, in the fourth tone (falling).
What is the radical of 策?
The radical of 策 is ⺮, which carries the idea of "bamboo". Dictionaries list 策 under this radical.
What is the traditional form of 策?
The traditional form of 策 is 筞 and 筴. Traditional characters are used in Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau; 策 is the simplified form used in mainland China and Singapore.
Is 策 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 策 is part of the HSK 6 character list in the HSK 3.0 standard.
What is the difference between 策略 and 政策?
政策 (zhèngcè) is an official policy, usually from a government or organization. 策略 (cèlüè) is a strategy or tactic for reaching a goal, used in business, games, or daily planning.
How is 策 used in 策划?
策划 (cèhuà) means to plan or organize something, such as an event or an ad campaign. It can also mean to plot something negative, so context matters. 活动策划 (huódòng cèhuà) is a common term for event planning.