算 meaning and stroke order
To calculate; to figure out; to include; to count in; to count; to be valid; to carry weight
How to write 算, 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 算
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- to calculate; to figure out
- to include; to count in
- to count; to be valid; to carry weight
- to regard as; to consider (to be ...)
How 算 is built
Ideographic (compound meaning) character. A bamboo ⺮ abacus 具.
Radical: ⺮ (bamboo), shared by 149 characters on this site.
How to remember 算
On top is the bamboo radical ⺮, and below is 具 (jù), a tool. Picture a bamboo tool like an abacus, the thing you use to calculate, and you have 算 (suàn).
算 is used for counting and calculating, but also for judging whether something counts or is considered something. It appears in very common words like 打算 (dǎsuàn, to plan) and 算了 (suànle, forget it). Example: 这个不算。 (Zhège bù suàn.) This one doesn't count.
Common mistake: Learners often write the bottom as 目 or forget the long horizontal stroke under it. The bottom part is 具, with 目 sitting on a horizontal line and two short legs below. Another trap is reading 算了 as "calculated" when it usually means "never mind" or "let it go."
Common words with 算
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 打算 | dǎsuàn | to plan; to intend | HSK 2 |
| 计算机 | jìsuànjī | computer; (Tw) calculator | HSK 2 |
| 计算 | jìsuàn | to calculate; to compute; to consider; to think over | HSK 3 |
| 总算 | zǒngsuàn | at long last; finally | HSK 5 |
| 就算 | jiùsuàn | (coll.) even if | HSK 6 |
| 算了 | suànle | let it be; let it pass | HSK 6 |
| 算是 | suànshì | considered to be; at last | HSK 6 |
| 不算 | bù suàn | to not calculate; to not count | HSK 7-9 |
| 预算 | yùsuàn | budget | HSK 7-9 |
| 算账 | suànzhàng | (accounting) to balance the books; to do the accounts; (fig.) to settle an account; to get | HSK 7-9 |
| 算计 | suànjì | to reckon; to calculate | HSK 7-9 |
| 划算 | huásuàn | to calculate; to weigh (pros and cons) | HSK 7-9 |
| 盘算 | pánsuan | to plot; to scheme | HSK 7-9 |
| 估算 | gūsuàn | assessment; evaluation | HSK 7-9 |
算 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Characters that contain 算
Learning 算 makes these easier to recognize and write.
Questions about 算
How many strokes are in 算?
算 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 算 mean?
算 (suàn) means to calculate; to figure out; to include; to count in; to count; to be valid; to carry weight. A common word with it is 打算 (dǎsuàn), meaning "to plan; to intend".
How do you pronounce 算?
算 is pronounced suàn, in the fourth tone (falling).
What is the radical of 算?
The radical of 算 is ⺮, which carries the idea of "bamboo". Dictionaries list 算 under this radical.
Is 算 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 算 is part of the HSK 2 character list in the HSK 3.0 standard, and you are expected to write it by hand from HSK 2.
What does 算了 mean in everyday speech?
算了 (suànle) means "forget it," "never mind," or "let it go." People say it to drop a topic or give up on something, as in 算了，我们走吧。 (Suànle, wǒmen zǒu ba.) Forget it, let's go.
How is 算 used to mean "to be considered as"?
算 can mean that something counts as a certain thing, often with 是 or alone. For example, 他算是我的老师。 (Tā suànshì wǒ de lǎoshī.) He can be considered my teacher. 就算 (jiùsuàn) builds on this idea and means "even if."