纲 meaning and stroke order
Program, outline; principle, guiding thread
How to write 纲, stroke by stroke
7 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
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- 7
Meaning of 纲
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- head rope of a fishing net
- guiding principle
- key link
- class (taxonomy)
- outline
- program
How 纲 is built
Phono-semantic (sound + meaning) character. Thread.
纟 gives the meaning and 冈 hints at the sound.
Radical: 纟 (silk), shared by 143 characters on this site.
How to remember 纲
纲 combines the silk radical 纟 (thread) with 冈 (gāng), which gives the sound. Picture the main rope of a fishing net: pull that one thread and the whole net follows, just as an outline holds a whole plan together.
纲 rarely stands alone and usually appears in words like 大纲 (dàgāng, outline), 纲要 (gāngyào, essential points) and 纲领 (gānglǐng, guiding program). It also names the taxonomic rank "class" in biology. Example: 老师给了我们课程大纲。(Lǎoshī gěi le wǒmen kèchéng dàgāng.) The teacher gave us the course outline.
Common mistake: Learners often confuse 纲 with 钢 (gāng, steel) and 刚 (gāng, just now), since all three share 冈 and the same sound. Remember that only 纲 has the thread radical 纟, which fits its meaning of a guiding rope or outline.
Common words with 纲
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
纲 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Questions about 纲
How many strokes are in 纲?
纲 is written with 7 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 纲 mean?
纲 (gāng) means program, outline; principle, guiding thread. A common word with it is 大纲 (dàgāng), meaning "synopsis; outline".
How do you pronounce 纲?
纲 is pronounced gāng, in the first tone (high and level).
What is the radical of 纲?
The radical of 纲 is 纟, which carries the idea of "silk". Dictionaries list 纲 under this radical.
What is the traditional form of 纲?
The traditional form of 纲 is 綱. Traditional characters are used in Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau; 纲 is the simplified form used in mainland China and Singapore.
Is 纲 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 纲 is part of the HSK 5 character list in the HSK 3.0 standard, and you are expected to write it by hand from HSK 3.
What does the idiom 提纲挈领 mean?
提纲挈领 (tí gāng qiè lǐng) literally means to lift the net's head rope and hold a coat by its collar. It describes grasping the main points of something so the details fall into place.
What is the difference between 大纲 and 提纲?
大纲 (dàgāng) is usually a formal outline, such as a syllabus or the plot synopsis of a book. 提纲 (tígāng) is often a brief set of notes or key points you prepare for a speech, essay or discussion.