維 meaning and stroke order
To preserve, to maintain, to hold together
How to write 維, 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 維
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- to preserve
- to maintain
- to hold together
- dimension
- vitamin (abbr. for 維生素|维生素[wei2 sheng1 su4])
How 維 is built
Phono-semantic (sound + meaning) character. Thread.
糹 gives the meaning and 隹 hints at the sound.
Radical: 糹 (silk), shared by 126 characters on this site.
How to remember 維
維 (wéi) is silk thread 糹 on the left plus 隹 (zhuī), a short-tailed bird, on the right. Picture a thread tied around a bird to hold it together and keep it safe. The thread gives the meaning, and 隹 hints at the sound.
維 is the traditional form of 维 and rarely stands alone. It appears in words like 維持 (wéichí, to maintain), 維護 (wéihù, to safeguard) and 維修 (wéixiū, to repair). Example: 我們要維持秩序。(Wǒmen yào wéichí zhìxù.) We need to maintain order.
Common mistake: Learners often confuse 維 with 準 (zhǔn) or 進 (jìn), because all three contain 隹. Remember that 維 has the thread radical 糹 on the left. Also keep the second tone, wéi, and do not read it like 隹 (zhuī).
Common words with 維
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 維持 | wéichí | to keep; to maintain; to preserve | HSK 4 |
| 維護 | wéihù | to defend; to safeguard | HSK 4 |
| 維修 | wéixiū | maintenance (of equipment); to protect and maintain | HSK 4 |
| 思維 | sīwéi | (line of) thought; thinking | HSK 5 |
| 二維碼 | èrwéimǎ | 2D barcode; matrix code; (esp.) QR code | HSK 5 |
| 維生素 | wéishēngsù | vitamin | HSK 6 |
| 纖維 | xiānwéi | fiber | HSK 7-9 |
| 恭維 | gōngwéi | to compliment; to praise | HSK 7-9 |
| 三維 | sānwéi | three-dimensional; 3D | HSK 7-9 |
| 維基 | wéijī | wiki (Internet) | |
| 維生 | wéishēng | abbr. for 維持生活|维持生活[wei2 chi2 sheng1 huo2] | |
| 維他命 | wéitāmìng | (loanword) vitamin | |
| 維繫 | wéixì | to maintain; to keep up | |
| 利維坦 | lìwéitǎn | (loanword) leviathan |
Characters that contain 維
Learning 維 makes these easier to recognize and write.
Questions about 維
How many strokes are in 維?
維 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 維 mean?
維 (wéi) means to preserve, to maintain, to hold together. A common word with it is 维持 (wéichí), meaning "to keep; to maintain; to preserve".
How do you pronounce 維?
維 is pronounced wéi, in the second tone (rising).
What is the radical of 維?
The radical of 維 is 糹, which carries the idea of "silk". Dictionaries list 維 under this radical.
What is the simplified form of 維?
維 is a traditional character. Its simplified form is 维, used in mainland China and Singapore.
Why does 維 mean dimension in words like 二維碼?
In math and science, 維 is used for dimension, as in 三維 (sānwéi, three-dimensional). 二維碼 (èrwéimǎ) literally means a two-dimensional code, which is why it is the word for a QR code.
Can 維 mean vitamin by itself?
Yes. It works as a short form of 維生素 (wéishēngsù), as in 維C (wéi C) for vitamin C. In full sentences people usually say 維生素.