締 meaning and stroke order
To tie, to join; knot, connection
How to write 締, stroke by stroke
15 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 締
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- (archaic) to bind up inextricably
- (bound form) to form an enduring union; to establish (an alliance, a friendship, a nation etc)
How 締 is built
Phono-semantic (sound + meaning) character. Thread.
糹 gives the meaning and 帝 hints at the sound.
Radical: 糹 (silk), shared by 126 characters on this site.
How to remember 締
締 combines the silk thread radical 糹 with 帝 (dì, emperor), which gives the sound. Picture threads tied so tightly that even an emperor could not undo the knot, like a bond that lasts.
締 is the traditional form, and in simplified Chinese it is written 缔. It rarely stands alone and appears in formal words about forming lasting bonds or agreements, such as 缔结 (dìjié, to conclude a treaty) and 缔造 (dìzào, to found or create). The common word 取缔 means to ban or crack down on, as in 政府取缔了非法市场 (zhèngfǔ qǔdì le fēifǎ shìchǎng, The government shut down the illegal market).
Common mistake: Learners often mix up 締 (dì) with 蒂 (dì, the stem of a fruit), which shares the phonetic 帝 but has the grass radical on top. Remember that tying and joining need thread, so 締 takes 糹 on the left.
Common words with 締
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 取締 | qǔdì | to suppress; to crack down on; to prohibit | HSK 7-9 |
Questions about 締
How many strokes are in 締?
締 is written with 15 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 締 mean?
締 (dì) means to tie, to join; knot, connection. A common word with it is 取缔 (qǔdì), meaning "to suppress; to crack down on; to prohibit".
How do you pronounce 締?
締 is pronounced dì, in the fourth tone (falling).
What is the radical of 締?
The radical of 締 is 糹, which carries the idea of "silk". Dictionaries list 締 under this radical.
What is the simplified form of 締?
締 is a traditional character. Its simplified form is 缔, used in mainland China and Singapore.
Why does 取缔 mean to ban if 締 means to tie or join?
In 取缔 the sense comes from an older meaning of restricting or controlling something. The word as a whole means to outlaw or suppress, so learn it as a set phrase rather than from the parts.
What is the difference between 缔结 and 结婚?
缔结 (dìjié) is formal and is used for treaties, alliances, or agreements, as in 缔结条约 (dìjié tiáoyuē, to sign a treaty). 结婚 (jiéhūn) is the everyday word for getting married. You may see 缔结婚姻 in very formal writing, but it is not used in daily speech.