维 meaning and stroke order
To preserve, to maintain, to hold together
How to write 维, stroke by stroke
11 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
Meaning of 维
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- to preserve
- to maintain
- to hold together
- dimension
- vitamin (abbr. for 維生素|维生素[wei2 sheng1 su4])
How 维 is built
Phono-semantic (sound + meaning) character. Thread.
纟 gives the meaning and 隹 hints at the sound.
Radical: 纟 (silk), shared by 143 characters on this site.
How to remember 维
维 is built from 纟 (silk thread) and 隹 (zhuī, a short-tailed bird), which gives the sound. Picture thread tied around a bird to hold it together and keep it safe, which links to the meanings preserve and maintain.
维 rarely stands alone and usually appears in two-character words like 维持 (wéichí, to maintain), 维护 (wéihù, to safeguard) and 维修 (wéixiū, to repair). It also shows up in modern words such as 二维码 (èrwéimǎ, QR code) and 维生素 (wéishēngsù, vitamin). Example: 请扫这个二维码。(Qǐng sǎo zhège èrwéimǎ.) Please scan this QR code.
Common mistake: Learners often confuse 维 with 准 (zhǔn) or 谁 (shéi), which also contain 隹 but have a different left side. Check for the silk radical 纟 on the left, and remember the tone is second tone wéi, not fourth tone like 为 (wèi).
Common words with 维
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 维持 | wéichí | to keep; to maintain; to preserve | HSK 4 |
| 维护 | wéihù | to defend; to safeguard | HSK 4 |
| 维修 | wéixiū | maintenance (of equipment); to protect and maintain | HSK 4 |
| 思维 | sīwéi | (line of) thought; thinking | HSK 5 |
| 二维码 | èrwéimǎ | 2D barcode; matrix code; (esp.) QR code | HSK 5 |
| 维生素 | wéishēngsù | vitamin | HSK 6 |
| 纤维 | xiānwéi | fiber | HSK 7-9 |
| 恭维 | gōngwéi | to compliment; to praise | HSK 7-9 |
| 三维 | sānwéi | three-dimensional; 3D | HSK 7-9 |
| 维基 | wéijī | wiki (Internet) | |
| 维生 | wéishēng | abbr. for 維持生活|维持生活[wei2 chi2 sheng1 huo2] | |
| 维他命 | wéitāmìng | (loanword) vitamin | |
| 维系 | wéixì | to maintain; to keep up | |
| 利维坦 | lìwéitǎn | (loanword) leviathan |
维 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Questions about 维
How many strokes are in 维?
维 is written with 11 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 维 mean?
维 (wéi) means to preserve, to maintain, to hold together. A common word with it is 维持 (wéichí), meaning "to keep; to maintain; to preserve".
How do you pronounce 维?
维 is pronounced wéi, in the second tone (rising).
What is the radical of 维?
The radical of 维 is 纟, which carries the idea of "silk". Dictionaries list 维 under this radical.
What is the traditional form of 维?
The traditional form of 维 is 維. Traditional characters are used in Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau; 维 is the simplified form used in mainland China and Singapore.
Is 维 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 维 is part of the HSK 4 character list in the HSK 3.0 standard.
What is the difference between 维持 and 维护?
维持 (wéichí) means to keep something going in its current state, like 维持秩序 (keep order). 维护 (wéihù) means to protect or defend something from harm, like 维护权利 (defend rights).
Why does 维 mean dimension?
In math and physics, 维 is used for dimensions, as in 三维 (sānwéi, three-dimensional). That is why a QR code is called 二维码, a two-dimensional code.