貯 meaning and stroke order
To store, to stockpile, to hoard
How to write 貯, stroke by stroke
12 strokes in order. Each box adds the next stroke in red. Write top to bottom and left to right, and finish enclosing strokes last.
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Meaning of 貯
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- to store
- to save
- stockpile
- Taiwan pr. [zhu3]
How 貯 is built
Phono-semantic (sound + meaning) character. Money.
貝 gives the meaning and 宁 hints at the sound.
Radical: 貝 (sea shell), shared by 62 characters on this site.
How to remember 貯
On the left is 貝 (bèi), a shell, which stood for money. On the right is 宁 (níng), which gives the sound, so picture shells of money being saved and stored away.
貯 is the traditional form, and mainland China writes it 贮. It is mostly used in compound words about storing goods, energy or savings, such as 貯藏 (zhùcáng) and 貯存 (zhùcún). Example: 這些糧食要貯藏起來。(Zhèxiē liángshi yào zhùcáng qǐlai.) This grain needs to be stored away.
Common mistake: Learners often mix up 貯 with 財 (cái, wealth) or 購 (gòu, to buy), since all three use 貝 on the left. Check the right side. 貯 has 宁, which looks like a roof over a horizontal stroke and a hook.
Common words with 貯
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 貯藏 | zhùcáng | to store up; to hoard | HSK 7-9 |
Questions about 貯
How many strokes are in 貯?
貯 is written with 12 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 貯 mean?
貯 (zhù) means to store, to stockpile, to hoard. A common word with it is 贮藏 (zhùcáng), meaning "to store up; to hoard".
How do you pronounce 貯?
貯 is pronounced zhù, in the fourth tone (falling).
What is the radical of 貯?
The radical of 貯 is 貝, which carries the idea of "sea shell". Dictionaries list 貯 under this radical.
What is the simplified form of 貯?
貯 is a traditional character. Its simplified form is 贮, used in mainland China and Singapore.
What is the difference between 貯存 and 儲存?
Both mean to store, and they often overlap. 儲存 (chǔcún) is more common in everyday speech and for things like data. 貯存 sounds a bit more formal or technical, as with grain, water or chemicals.
How is 貯 pronounced in Taiwan?
The standard mainland reading is zhù, with the fourth tone. In Taiwan it is traditionally pronounced zhǔ, with the third tone, though you may hear both.