索 meaning and stroke order
Cable, rope; rules, laws; to demand, to exact; to search, to inquire
How to write 索, stroke by stroke
10 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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- 10
Meaning of 索
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- to search
- to demand
- to ask
- to exact
- large rope
- isolated
How 索 is built
Ideographic (compound meaning) character. A rope 糸 hanging from the ceiling 冖.
Radical: 糸 (silk), shared by 27 characters on this site.
How to remember 索
Picture a rope 糸 hanging down from the ceiling 冖, with a knot 十 tied at the top. You pull on that rope to search for something or to demand it, and a rope also gives you a trail to follow.
索 rarely stands alone in modern Chinese. It mostly appears in words about searching, exploring, or demanding, such as 搜索 (sōusuǒ), 探索 (tànsuǒ), and 索赔 (suǒpéi). Example: 警察找到了新的线索。(Jǐngchá zhǎodào le xīn de xiànsuǒ.) The police found a new clue.
Common mistake: Learners often confuse 索 with 素 (sù, plain, element), which also has 糸 at the bottom. 索 has 冖 under the 十, but 素 has 龶 on top. Also note that in 利索 (lìsuo) the second syllable is neutral tone, not suǒ.
Common words with 索
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 线索 | xiànsuǒ | trail; clues | HSK 5 |
| 搜索 | sōusuǒ | to search (a place, a database, online etc); to search for (sth) | HSK 5 |
| 探索 | tànsuǒ | to explore; to probe | HSK 6 |
| 索取 | suǒqǔ | to ask; to demand | HSK 7-9 |
| 思索 | sīsuǒ | to think deeply; to ponder | HSK 7-9 |
| 索赔 | suǒpéi | to ask for compensation; to claim damages | HSK 7-9 |
| 摸索 | mōsuǒ | to feel about; to grope about | HSK 7-9 |
| 利索 | lìsuo | nimble | HSK 7-9 |
| 索性 | suǒxìng | you might as well (do it); simply | HSK 7-9 |
| 导火索 | dǎohuǒsuǒ | fuse (for explosive) | HSK 7-9 |
| 不假思索 | bùjiǎ-sīsuǒ | (idiom) to act without taking time to think; to react instantly; to fire from the hip | HSK 7-9 |
| 勒索 | lèsuǒ | to blackmail; to extort | |
| 绳索 | shéngsuǒ | rope | |
| 比索 | Bǐsuǒ | (loanword) peso (monetary unit) |
索 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Characters that contain 索
Learning 索 makes these easier to recognize and write.
Questions about 索
How many strokes are in 索?
索 is written with 10 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 索 mean?
索 (suǒ) means cable, rope; rules, laws; to demand, to exact; to search, to inquire. A common word with it is 线索 (xiànsuǒ), meaning "trail; clues".
How do you pronounce 索?
索 is pronounced suǒ, in the third tone (dipping).
What is the radical of 索?
The radical of 索 is 糸, which carries the idea of "silk". Dictionaries list 索 under this radical.
Is 索 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 索 is part of the HSK 5 character list in the HSK 3.0 standard.
What is the difference between 搜索 and 探索?
搜索 (sōusuǒ) means to look for something specific, like searching online or searching a building. 探索 (tànsuǒ) means to explore the unknown, like exploring space or probing a new idea.
What does 索性 mean?
索性 (suǒxìng) means "might as well" or "simply go all the way". For example, 下雨了，我索性不去了 (xià yǔ le, wǒ suǒxìng bú qù le) means "It is raining, so I might as well not go."