縱 meaning and stroke order
To indulge in, to give free reign to
How to write 縱, stroke by stroke
17 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
- 16
- 17
Meaning of 縱
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- vertical; north-south (Taiwan pr. [zong1])
- from front to back; longitudinal; lengthwise (Taiwan pr. [zong1])
- military unit corresponding to an army corps (Taiwan pr. [zong1])
- (bound form) to release (a captive)
- to indulge
- to leap up
How 縱 is built
Phono-semantic (sound + meaning) character. Thread.
糹 gives the meaning and 從 hints at the sound.
Radical: 糹 (silk), shared by 126 characters on this site.
How to remember 縱
縱 combines 糹 (silk thread) with 從 (cóng, to follow), which gives the sound. Picture letting out a long thread and following it as it runs loose, and you get both "lengthwise" and "to let go, to indulge."
縱 (simplified 纵) appears mostly in compound words, such as 放纵 (fàngzòng, to indulge), 纵容 (zòngróng, to condone), and 纵横 (zònghéng, vertical and horizontal). In writing, 纵然 (zòngrán) means "even if." Example: 他纵容孩子乱花钱。(Tā zòngróng háizi luàn huā qián.) He lets his kids waste money.
Common mistake: Learners often confuse 縱 with 從 (cóng, to follow) because they share a part. Remember that 縱 has the thread radical 糹 on the left and is read with fourth tone zòng, not cóng.
Common words with 縱
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 操縱 | cāozòng | to operate; to control | HSK 6 |
| 放縱 | fàngzòng | to indulge; to pamper | HSK 7-9 |
| 縱容 | zòngróng | to tolerate or condone wrongdoing; to allow (sb) to engage in bad behavior | HSK 7-9 |
| 縱然 | zòngrán | even if; even though | HSK 7-9 |
| 縱觀 | zòngguān | to survey comprehensively; an overall survey | HSK 7-9 |
| 縱深 | zòngshēn | depth (from front to rear); depth (into a territory) | HSK 7-9 |
| 縱橫交錯 | zònghéng-jiāocuò | criss-crossed (idiom) | HSK 7-9 |
| 縱火 | zònghuǒ | to set on fire; to commit arson | |
| 縱使 | zòngshǐ | even if; even though | |
| 縱隊 | zòngduì | column; file (formation of people) (CL:列[lie4],路[lu4]); PLA army corps (1946–1949) | |
| 縱情 | zòngqíng | to your heart's content | |
| 操縱桿 | cāozònggǎn | joystick; control lever |
Questions about 縱
How many strokes are in 縱?
縱 is written with 17 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 縱 mean?
縱 (zòng) means to indulge in, to give free reign to. A common word with it is 操纵 (cāozòng), meaning "to operate; to control".
How do you pronounce 縱?
縱 is pronounced zòng, in the fourth tone (falling).
What is the radical of 縱?
The radical of 縱 is 糹, which carries the idea of "silk". Dictionaries list 縱 under this radical.
What is the simplified form of 縱?
縱 is a traditional character. Its simplified form is 纵, used in mainland China and Singapore.
What is the difference between 纵 and 横?
纵 (zòng) means vertical or front to back, and 横 (héng) means horizontal or side to side. Together, 纵横 (zònghéng) describes something crossing in all directions, as in 纵横交错 (criss-crossed).
Is 纵然 the same as 虽然?
Both relate to concession, but 纵然 (zòngrán) means "even if" and is about a hypothetical, like 即使 (jíshǐ). 虽然 (suīrán) means "although" and refers to a real fact. 纵然 also sounds more literary.