經 meaning and stroke order
The classics; to experience, to undergo
How to write 經, stroke by stroke
13 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
- 13
Meaning of 經
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- classics
- sacred book
- scripture
- to pass through
- to undergo
- to bear
How 經 is built
Phono-semantic (sound + meaning) character. Thread.
糹 gives the meaning and 巠 hints at the sound.
Radical: 糹 (silk), shared by 126 characters on this site.
How to remember 經
經 is built from 糹 (silk thread) on the left and 巠 (jīng) on the right, which gives the sound. Picture long threads running straight through a loom, the way time runs through your life and the way old classic texts run through a culture.
經 is the traditional form, used in Taiwan, Hong Kong and older texts. Mainland China writes it 经. It rarely stands alone in speech and mostly appears in words like 已經 (yǐjīng, already), 經常 (jīngcháng, often) and 經過 (jīngguò, to pass through). Example: 我已經吃飯了。(Wǒ yǐjīng chī fàn le.) I have already eaten.
Common mistake: Learners often confuse the right side 巠 with 巫 or miss the three wavy strokes at its top, which are the same shape found in 輕 (qīng) and 徑 (jìng). Also keep the first tone in 經 and do not let it drop to a neutral tone in 已經, where it is still clearly jīng.
Common words with 經
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 已經 | yǐjīng | already | HSK 2 |
| 經常 | jīngcháng | frequently; constantly; regularly; often; day-to-day; everyday; daily | HSK 2 |
| 經過 | jīngguò | to pass; to go through | HSK 2 |
| 經理 | jīnglǐ | manager; director | HSK 2 |
| 曾經 | céngjīng | once; already | HSK 3 |
| 經歷 | jīnglì | to experience; to go through; experience (CL:段[duan4],次[ci4]) | HSK 3 |
| 經驗 | jīngyàn | experience; to go through; to experience | HSK 3 |
| 經濟 | jīngjì | economy; economic | HSK 3 |
| 經營 | jīngyíng | to engage in (business etc); to run; to operate | HSK 3 |
| 經典 | jīngdiǎn | the classics; scriptures | HSK 4 |
| 神經 | shénjīng | nerve; mental state | HSK 5 |
| 經費 | jīngfèi | funds; expenditure | HSK 5 |
| 總經理 | zǒngjīnglǐ | general manager; CEO | HSK 6 |
| 未經 | wèijīng | not having undergone; without (having gone though a certain process) | HSK 7-9 |
Questions about 經
How many strokes are in 經?
經 is written with 13 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 經 mean?
經 (jīng) means the classics; to experience, to undergo. A common word with it is 已经 (yǐjīng), meaning "already".
How do you pronounce 經?
經 is pronounced jīng, in the first tone (high and level).
What is the radical of 經?
The radical of 經 is 糹, which carries the idea of "silk". Dictionaries list 經 under this radical.
What is the simplified form of 經?
經 is a traditional character. Its simplified form is 经, used in mainland China and Singapore.
What is the difference between 經歷 and 經驗?
經歷 (jīnglì) is the events you lived through, like a hard time or a trip. 經驗 (jīngyàn) is the skill or knowledge you gained from them, as in 工作經驗 (gōngzuò jīngyàn, work experience).
How is 曾經 different from 已經?
曾經 (céngjīng) means something happened at some point in the past and is often over now. 已經 (yǐjīng) means something is already done or already true, usually with 了 at the end.