给 meaning and stroke order
To; for; for the benefit of
How to write 给, stroke by stroke
9 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
Meaning of 给
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- to
- for
- for the benefit of
- to give
- to allow
- to do sth (for sb)
- (bound form) to supply; to provide
- (literary) sufficient; abundant
How 给 is built
Phono-semantic (sound + meaning) character. Thread.
纟 gives the meaning and 合 hints at the sound.
Radical: 纟 (silk), shared by 143 characters on this site.
How to remember 给
给 is built from 纟 (thread, the meaning part) and 合 (hé, the sound part). Picture tying a gift together with thread before you hand it to someone.
给 (gěi) works as a verb meaning to give, and also as a preposition meaning for or to, placed before the person who benefits. 我给你打电话。(Wǒ gěi nǐ dǎ diànhuà.) I will call you.
Common mistake: Learners often put 给 after the verb in the wrong place, saying 我打电话给你 and 我给你打电话 interchangeably without knowing that the second is more common in speech. Also, do not confuse 给 with 络 (luò) or 绘 (huì), which share the 纟 side.
Common words with 给
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 交给 | jiāo gěi | to give; to deliver; to hand over | HSK 2 |
| 送给 | sòng gěi | to send; to give as a present | HSK 2 |
| 递给 | dì gěi | to hand it (i.e. the aforementioned item) to (sb) | HSK 5 |
| 给予 | jǐyǔ | (literary) to give; to accord; to render | HSK 6 |
| 供给 | gōngjǐ | to furnish; to provide | HSK 6 |
| 补给 | bǔjǐ | supply; replenishment | HSK 7-9 |
| 还给 | huángěi | to return sth to sb | |
| 留给 | liúgěi | to set aside for | |
| 带给 | dàigěi | to give to; to provide to | |
| 传给 | chuángěi | to pass on to; to transfer to; to hand on to; (in football etc) to pass to | |
| 借给 | jiègěi | to lend to sb | |
| 发给 | fāgěi | to issue; to grant | |
| 付给 | fùgěi | to deliver; to pay | |
| 输给 | shūgěi | to lose to (sb); to be outdone by |
给 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Questions about 给
How many strokes are in 给?
给 is written with 9 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 给 mean?
给 (gěi) means to; for; for the benefit of. A common word with it is 交给 (jiāo gěi), meaning "to give; to deliver; to hand over".
How do you pronounce 给?
给 is pronounced gěi, in the third tone (dipping).
What is the radical of 给?
The radical of 给 is 纟, which carries the idea of "silk". Dictionaries list 给 under this radical.
What is the traditional form of 给?
The traditional form of 给 is 給. Traditional characters are used in Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau; 给 is the simplified form used in mainland China and Singapore.
Is 给 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 给 is part of the HSK 1 character list in the HSK 3.0 standard, and you are expected to write it by hand from HSK 1.
When is 给 pronounced jǐ instead of gěi?
It is read jǐ in formal or bound words about supplying, such as 给予 (jǐyǔ), 供给 (gōngjǐ), and 补给 (bǔjǐ). In everyday speech, when you mean to give or for someone, say gěi.
Can 给 be used to mean passive by, like 被?
Yes, in casual speech 给 can mark the passive. 我的手机给他弄坏了。(Wǒ de shǒujī gěi tā nòng huài le.) My phone was broken by him.