血 meaning and stroke order
Blood (CL:滴[di1]); colloquial pr. [xie3] or [xue3]
How to write 血, 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 血
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- blood (CL:滴[di1])
- colloquial pr. [xie3] or [xue3]
How 血 is built
Ideographic (compound meaning) character. A chalice 皿 filled with blood 丿.
How to remember 血
The bottom part 皿 is a vessel or bowl, and the small stroke 丿 on top is a drop of blood in it. Picture a ritual bowl with one drop of blood falling in, and you have 血 (blood).
In formal words and compounds, 血 is usually read xuè, as in 血液 (xuèyè), 血管 (xuèguǎn) and 血压 (xuèyā). In everyday speech, when it stands alone or in some colloquial words, people often say xiě, as in 出血 (chūxiě). Example: 他的手流血了。(Tā de shǒu liúxuè le.) His hand is bleeding.
Common mistake: Learners often confuse 血 with 皿 (mǐn, dish), forgetting the short slanted stroke 丿 on top, which is the blood drop that changes the meaning. Another trap is reading every 血 as xiě. Use xuè in compounds like 血压 and 心血.
Common words with 血
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 血液 | xuèyè | blood; (fig.) lifeblood | HSK 6 |
| 血管 | xuèguǎn | vein; artery | HSK 6 |
| 流血 | liúxuè | to bleed; to shed blood | HSK 7-9 |
| 鲜血 | xiānxuè | blood | HSK 7-9 |
| 出血 | chūxiě | to bleed; bleeding; (fig.) to spend money in large amounts | HSK 7-9 |
| 血压 | xuèyā | blood pressure | HSK 7-9 |
| 心血 | xīnxuè | heart's blood; expenditure (for some project) | HSK 7-9 |
| 止血 | zhǐxuè | to staunch (bleeding); hemostatic (drug) | HSK 7-9 |
| 血脉 | xuèmài | blood vessels | HSK 7-9 |
| 输血 | shūxuè | to transfuse blood; to give aid and support | HSK 7-9 |
| 高血压 | gāoxuèyā | high blood pressure; hypertension | HSK 7-9 |
| 血缘 | xuèyuán | bloodline | HSK 7-9 |
| 血栓 | xuèshuān | blood clot; thrombus | HSK 7-9 |
| 献血 | xiànxiě | to donate blood | HSK 7-9 |
血 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Characters that contain 血
Learning 血 makes these easier to recognize and write.
Questions about 血
How many strokes are in 血?
血 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 血 mean?
血 (xiě) means blood (CL:滴[di1]); colloquial pr. [xie3] or [xue3]. A common word with it is 血液 (xuèyè), meaning "blood; (fig.) lifeblood".
How do you pronounce 血?
血 has more than one reading: xiě and xuè. The most common is xiě, said in the third tone (dipping).
Is 血 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 血 is part of the HSK 3 character list in the HSK 3.0 standard, and you are expected to write it by hand from HSK 2.
How do you say "a drop of blood" in Chinese?
Use the measure word 滴 (dī): 一滴血 (yì dī xiě). Here the colloquial reading xiě is common because 血 stands alone.
Does 心血 mean "heart blood" literally?
It can, but it is usually figurative. 心血 (xīnxuè) means the effort and energy someone puts into a project, as in 这是他的心血 (zhè shì tā de xīnxuè), this is the fruit of his hard work.