网 meaning and stroke order
Net; web; network; to net; to catch with a net
How to write 网, stroke by stroke
6 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
Meaning of 网
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- net; web
- network
- to net; to catch with a net
How 网 is built
Pictographic character. A net for catching fish.
How to remember 网
网 is a picture of a net: 冂 is the frame, and the two 乂 crosses inside are the knotted mesh that catches fish. Picture a fishing net hung on a frame with crisscross strings.
Today 网 is used most often for the Internet and networks, as in 上网 (shàngwǎng, to go online) and 网站 (wǎngzhàn, website), but it still means a physical net, as in 网球 (wǎngqiú, tennis). Example: 我每天晚上上网。(Wǒ měitiān wǎnshang shàngwǎng.) I go online every evening.
Common mistake: Learners often confuse 网 (wǎng, net) with 往 (wǎng, toward) and 忘 (wàng, to forget) because the sounds are close. Remember 网 is third tone and its shape shows a net, with no person or heart radical.
Common words with 网
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 网上 | wǎng shang | online | HSK 1 |
| 上网 | shàngwǎng | to go online; to connect to the Internet | HSK 1 |
| 网友 | wǎngyǒu | online friend; netizen; Internet user | HSK 1 |
| 网站 | wǎngzhàn | website | HSK 2 |
| 网球 | wǎngqiú | tennis; tennis ball | HSK 2 |
| 互联网 | hùliánwǎng | Internet | HSK 3 |
| 网络 | wǎngluò | network; Internet | HSK 4 |
| 网址 | wǎngzhǐ | web address; URL | HSK 4 |
| 网页 | wǎngyè | web page | HSK 6 |
| 网吧 | wǎngbā | Internet café | HSK 6 |
| 电网 | diànwǎng | electricity grid; power grid; electrified wire netting | HSK 7-9 |
| 联网 | liánwǎng | to connect (or be connected) to a network; to network | HSK 7-9 |
| 网点 | wǎngdiǎn | branch; service outlet (of a bank, retail store etc); (printing) halftone dot | HSK 7-9 |
| 网民 | wǎngmín | netizen; Internet user; online community member | HSK 7-9 |
网 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Questions about 网
How many strokes are in 网?
网 is written with 6 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 网 mean?
网 (wǎng) means net; web; network; to net; to catch with a net. A common word with it is 网上 (wǎng shang), meaning "online".
How do you pronounce 网?
网 is pronounced wǎng, in the third tone (dipping).
What is the traditional form of 网?
The traditional form of 网 is 網. Traditional characters are used in Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau; 网 is the simplified form used in mainland China and Singapore.
Is 网 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 网 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.
What is the difference between 网上 and 上网?
网上 (wǎng shang) means online or on the Internet and describes where something happens, as in 网上买东西 (buy things online). 上网 (shàngwǎng) is a verb meaning to go online or use the Internet.
Is 网络 the same as 互联网?
互联网 (hùliánwǎng) specifically means the Internet. 网络 (wǎngluò) is broader and can mean any network, though in daily speech it often refers to the Internet or the connection itself, as in 网络不好 (the connection is bad).