财 meaning and stroke order
Riches, wealth, valuables
How to write 财, stroke by stroke
7 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
Meaning of 财
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- money
- wealth
- riches
- property
- valuables
How 财 is built
Phono-semantic (sound + meaning) character. Money.
贝 gives the meaning and 才 hints at the sound.
Radical: 贝 (sea shell), shared by 63 characters on this site.
How to remember 财
财 is a pictophonetic character: 贝 (bèi, shell) on the left gives the meaning, because shells were used as money, and 才 (cái) on the right gives the sound. Picture a pile of shells, and your talent, 才, earning them.
财 rarely stands alone in modern Chinese. It usually appears in words about money and assets, such as 财产 (cáichǎn), 财富 (cáifù), and 理财 (lǐcái). Example: 祝你发财。(Zhù nǐ fācái.) I wish you prosperity.
Common mistake: Learners often write 才 (cái, talent; only just) when they mean 财, since the two sound exactly the same. If the word is about money or property, you need the 贝 on the left.
Common words with 财
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 财产 | cáichǎn | property; assets | HSK 4 |
| 财富 | cáifù | wealth; riches | HSK 4 |
| 理财 | lǐcái | to manage wealth; to manage finances; money management | HSK 6 |
| 发财 | fācái | to get rich | HSK 7-9 |
| 财务 | cáiwù | financial affairs; finance | HSK 7-9 |
| 财政 | cáizhèng | public finance; government finance | HSK 7-9 |
| 钱财 | qiáncái | wealth; money | HSK 7-9 |
| 财物 | cáiwù | property; belongings | HSK 7-9 |
| 财力 | cáilì | financial resources | HSK 7-9 |
| 财经 | cáijīng | finance and economics | HSK 7-9 |
| 财宝 | cáibǎo | money and valuables | |
| 财团 | cáituán | financial group | |
| 恭喜发财 | gōngxǐfācái | May you have a prosperous New Year! (New Year's greeting) | |
| 财政部长 | cáizhèngbùzhǎng | minister of finance |
财 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Questions about 财
How many strokes are in 财?
财 is written with 7 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 财 mean?
财 (cái) means riches, wealth, valuables. A common word with it is 财产 (cáichǎn), meaning "property; assets".
How do you pronounce 财?
财 is pronounced cái, in the second tone (rising).
What is the radical of 财?
The radical of 财 is 贝, which carries the idea of "sea shell". Dictionaries list 财 under this radical.
What is the traditional form of 财?
The traditional form of 财 is 財. Traditional characters are used in Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau; 财 is the simplified form used in mainland China and Singapore.
Is 财 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 财 is part of the HSK 4 character list in the HSK 3.0 standard, and you are expected to write it by hand from HSK 3.
What does 恭喜发财 mean?
恭喜发财 (gōngxǐ fācái) means "wishing you prosperity". It is the standard greeting during Chinese New Year, often said when giving or asking for red envelopes.
What is the difference between 财务 and 财政?
财务 (cáiwù) refers to the finances of a company or organization, like a finance department. 财政 (cáizhèng) refers to public or government finance, such as a national budget.