緯 meaning and stroke order
Warp and woof; lines of latitude
How to write 緯, 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.
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
- 7
- 8
- 9
- 10
- 11
- 12
- 13
- 14
- 15
Meaning of 緯
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- latitude
- woof (horizontal thread in weaving)
- weft
How 緯 is built
Phono-semantic (sound + meaning) character. Thread.
糹 gives the meaning and 韋 hints at the sound.
Radical: 糹 (silk), shared by 126 characters on this site.
How to remember 緯
緯 (wěi) has the silk radical 糹 for thread and 韋 (wéi) giving the sound. Picture threads running side to side across a loom, just like lines of latitude running side to side across a globe.
緯 means the weft, the horizontal thread in weaving, and by extension lines of latitude on a map. Today it appears mostly in geography words like 纬度 (wěidù, latitude) and 北纬 (běiwěi, north latitude). Example: 北京在北纬四十度左右。(Běijīng zài běiwěi sìshí dù zuǒyòu.) Beijing is at about 40 degrees north latitude.
Common mistake: Learners often mix up 緯 (wěi, latitude, horizontal) with 經 (jīng, longitude, vertical), since they are taught as a pair 经纬 (jīngwěi). Also note the third tone wěi, not the second tone of its phonetic part 韋 (wéi).
Common words with 緯
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 緯度 | wěidù | latitude | HSK 7-9 |
| 北緯 | běiwěi | north latitude |
Questions about 緯
How many strokes are in 緯?
緯 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 緯 mean?
緯 (wěi) means warp and woof; lines of latitude. A common word with it is 纬度 (wěidù), meaning "latitude".
How do you pronounce 緯?
緯 is pronounced wěi, in the third tone (dipping).
What is the radical of 緯?
The radical of 緯 is 糹, which carries the idea of "silk". Dictionaries list 緯 under this radical.
What is the simplified form of 緯?
緯 is a traditional character. Its simplified form is 纬, used in mainland China and Singapore.
What is the difference between 纬度 and 经度?
纬度 (wěidù) is latitude, measured north or south of the equator. 经度 (jīngdù) is longitude, measured east or west. In weaving, 经 is the vertical warp and 纬 is the horizontal weft.
Why do I see both 緯 and 纬?
緯 is the traditional form used in Taiwan and Hong Kong. 纬 is the simplified form used in mainland China, where the silk radical 糹 becomes 纟 and 韋 becomes 韦.