箏 meaning and stroke order
Guzheng, zither, string instrument
How to write 箏, 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 箏
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- see 古箏|古筝[gu3 zheng1]
How 箏 is built
Phono-semantic (sound + meaning) character. Bamboo.
⺮ gives the meaning and 爭 hints at the sound.
Radical: ⺮ (bamboo), shared by 149 characters on this site.
How to remember 箏
Bamboo ⺮ on top gives the meaning, since early zithers were tied to bamboo, and 爭 (zhēng) below gives the sound. Picture bamboo strings that seem to compete (爭) with each other for your ear.
箏 is the traditional form and rarely stands alone. It appears in 古箏 (gǔzhēng), the Chinese zither, and in the word for kite. Example: 她會彈古箏。(Tā huì tán gǔzhēng.) She can play the guzheng.
Common mistake: Learners often confuse 箏 with 筝, its simplified form, or with 爭 without the bamboo top, which means to compete. Also note that in 风筝 (fēngzheng) the syllable is said in the neutral tone, not first tone.
Common words with 箏
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
Questions about 箏
How many strokes are in 箏?
箏 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 箏 mean?
箏 (zhēng) means guzheng, zither, string instrument. A common word with it is 风筝 (fēngzheng), meaning "kite (lit. "wind zither", traditionally explained as being named after kites fitted with b".
How do you pronounce 箏?
箏 is pronounced zhēng, in the first tone (high and level).
What is the radical of 箏?
The radical of 箏 is ⺮, which carries the idea of "bamboo". Dictionaries list 箏 under this radical.
What is the simplified form of 箏?
箏 is a traditional character. Its simplified form is 筝, used in mainland China and Singapore.
Why is a kite called 风筝 (fēngzheng)?
The name literally means wind zither. It is traditionally explained by kites fitted with bamboo pipes or strings that made a musical sound in the wind.
What verb goes with 古箏 and 风筝?
You play a guzheng with 彈 or 弹 (tán), as in 弹古筝 (tán gǔzhēng). You fly a kite with 放 (fàng), as in 放风筝 (fàng fēngzheng).