責 meaning and stroke order
One's responsibility, duty
How to write 責, 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 責
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- duty
- responsibility
- to reproach
- to blame
How 責 is built
Ideographic (compound meaning) character. Money 貝 that must be repaid.
Radical: 貝 (sea shell), shared by 62 characters on this site.
How to remember 責
The bottom part 貝 is a shell, an old symbol for money. Picture money 貝 piled under a weight 龶 that you must carry until it is repaid, and you have 責 (zé), a duty you owe.
責 (zé) rarely stands alone in modern Chinese. It appears in words about duty, like 责任 (zérèn) and 负责 (fùzé), and in words about blaming, like 责怪 (zéguài) and 指责 (zhǐzé). Example: 这件事由我负责。(Zhè jiàn shì yóu wǒ fùzé.) I am responsible for this matter.
Common mistake: Learners often confuse 責 with 債 (zhài, debt), which adds the person radical 亻 on the left. 責 is the duty or blame, while 債 is the actual money owed, as in 还债 (huán zhài, to repay a debt).
Common words with 責
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 負責 | fùzé | to be responsible for; to be in charge of; to bear responsibility for; conscientious | HSK 3 |
| 責任 | zérèn | responsibility; duty; liability | HSK 3 |
| 指責 | zhǐzé | to criticize; to find fault with | HSK 5 |
| 負責人 | fùzérén | person in charge | HSK 5 |
| 職責 | zhízé | duty; responsibility | HSK 6 |
| 責怪 | zéguài | to blame; to rebuke | HSK 7-9 |
| 譴責 | qiǎnzé | to denounce; to condemn | HSK 7-9 |
| 責備 | zébèi | to blame; to criticize | HSK 7-9 |
| 自責 | zìzé | to blame oneself | HSK 7-9 |
| 責任感 | zérèngǎn | sense of responsibility | HSK 7-9 |
| 盡責 | jìnzé | to do one's duty; to do one's bit conscientiously | |
| 全責 | quánzé | full responsibility | |
| 罪責 | zuìzé | guilt | |
| 責罵 | zémà | to scold |
Characters that contain 責
Learning 責 makes these easier to recognize and write.
Questions about 責
How many strokes are in 責?
責 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 責 mean?
責 (zé) means one's responsibility, duty. A common word with it is 负责 (fùzé), meaning "to be responsible for; to be in charge of; to bear responsibility for; conscientious".
How do you pronounce 責?
責 is pronounced zé, in the second tone (rising).
What is the radical of 責?
The radical of 責 is 貝, which carries the idea of "sea shell". Dictionaries list 責 under this radical.
What is the simplified form of 責?
責 is a traditional character. Its simplified form is 责, used in mainland China and Singapore.
What is the difference between 责任 (zérèn) and 职责 (zhízé)?
责任 is general responsibility, including moral or legal liability. 职责 is narrower and means the duties that come with a job or position.
Does 責 always have a negative meaning?
No. It has two sides: duty, as in 负责 (fùzé, to be in charge), and blame, as in 责备 (zébèi, to criticize). The surrounding word tells you which sense is meant.