規 meaning and stroke order
Rules, regulations, customs, law
How to write 規, 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 規
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- compass
- a rule
- regulation
- to admonish
- to plan
- to scheme
How 規 is built
Phono-semantic (sound + meaning) character. Observe.
見 gives the meaning and 夫 hints at the sound.
Radical: 見 (to see), shared by 14 characters on this site.
How to remember 規
規 combines 夫 (fū, a man) on the left with 見 (jiàn, to see) on the right. Picture a grown man who has seen how things should be done and now sets the rules for everyone else. The data lists 見 as the meaning part (observe) and 夫 as the sound hint.
規 rarely appears alone in modern Chinese. It shows up in compounds like 規定 (guīdìng, regulations), 規則 (guīzé, rules) and 規模 (guīmó, scale). Example: 這是公司的規定。(Zhè shì gōngsī de guīdìng.) This is the company's rule.
Common mistake: Learners often write the left side as 天 (tiān) or 失 (shī) instead of 夫. In 夫 the top horizontal stroke is short and the vertical stroke pokes through it. Also note that mainland China uses the simplified form 规, where 見 becomes 见.
Common words with 規
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 規定 | guīdìng | to stipulate; to specify; to prescribe; to fix (a price); to set (a quota); regulations; r | HSK 3 |
| 規範 | guīfàn | norm; standard | HSK 3 |
| 規則 | guīzé | rule; regulation; regular; orderly; fixed | HSK 4 |
| 大規模 | dà guīmó | large scale; extensive | HSK 4 |
| 規模 | guīmó | scale; scope; extent | HSK 4 |
| 規律 | guīlǜ | rule (e.g. of science); law of behavior | HSK 4 |
| 規劃 | guīhuà | to draw up a plan; to map out a program; a plan; a program | HSK 5 |
| 正規 | zhèngguī | regular; according to standards | HSK 5 |
| 法規 | fǎguī | legislation; statute | HSK 5 |
| 違規 | wéiguī | to violate the rules | HSK 5 |
| 犯規 | fànguī | to break the rules; an illegality | HSK 6 |
| 常規 | chángguī | code of conduct; conventions; common practice; routine (medical procedure etc) | HSK 6 |
| 規矩 | guīju | lit. compass and set square; fig. established standard | HSK 7-9 |
| 規格 | guīgé | standard; norm | HSK 7-9 |
Characters that contain 規
Learning 規 makes these easier to recognize and write.
Questions about 規
How many strokes are in 規?
規 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 規 mean?
規 (guī) means rules, regulations, customs, law. A common word with it is 规定 (guīdìng), meaning "to stipulate; to specify; to prescribe; to fix (a price); to set (a quota); regulations; r".
How do you pronounce 規?
規 is pronounced guī, in the first tone (high and level).
What is the radical of 規?
The radical of 規 is 見, which carries the idea of "to see". Dictionaries list 規 under this radical.
What is the simplified form of 規?
規 is a traditional character. Its simplified form is 规, used in mainland China and Singapore.
What is the difference between 規則 and 規定?
規則 (guīzé) usually means general rules, like the rules of a game or traffic rules. 規定 (guīdìng) often refers to specific regulations set by an authority, and it can also be a verb meaning to stipulate.
Why does 規 mean compass?
The oldest sense of 規 is the drawing compass used to make circles. It pairs with 矩 (jǔ), the carpenter's square, in the phrase 規矩 (guīju), which now means rules or good manners.