责 meaning and stroke order
One's responsibility, duty
How to write 责, stroke by stroke
8 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
Meaning of 责
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- duty
- responsibility
- to reproach
- to blame
How 责 is built
Ideographic (compound meaning) character. Money 贝 that must be repaid.
Radical: 贝 (sea shell), shared by 63 characters on this site.
How to remember 责
The bottom part is 贝 (bèi), a shell, which stood for money. Picture a debt of money 贝 sitting under a pile of obligations on top: money you must repay is your duty, and failing to pay gets you blamed.
责 rarely stands alone in speech. It appears in words for duty like 责任 (zérèn) and 负责 (fùzé), and in words for 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 in charge of this matter.
Common mistake: Learners often confuse 责 with 债 (zhài, debt), which adds the person radical 亻 on the left. Also note the top is 龶 with three horizontal strokes, not 土 or 主.
Common words with 责
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 负责 | fùzé | to be responsible for; to be in charge of; to bear responsibility for; conscientious | HSK 3 |
| 责任 | zérèn | responsibility; duty; liability | HSK 3 |
| 指责 | zhǐzé | to criticize; to find fault with | HSK 5 |
| 负责人 | fùzérén | person in charge | HSK 5 |
| 职责 | zhízé | duty; responsibility | HSK 6 |
| 责怪 | zéguài | to blame; to rebuke | HSK 7-9 |
| 谴责 | qiǎnzé | to denounce; to condemn | HSK 7-9 |
| 责备 | zébèi | to blame; to criticize | HSK 7-9 |
| 自责 | zìzé | to blame oneself | HSK 7-9 |
| 责任感 | zérèngǎn | sense of responsibility | HSK 7-9 |
| 尽责 | jìnzé | to do one's duty; to do one's bit conscientiously | |
| 全责 | quánzé | full responsibility | |
| 罪责 | zuìzé | guilt | |
| 责骂 | zémà | to scold |
责 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Characters that contain 责
Learning 责 makes these easier to recognize and write.
Questions about 责
How many strokes are in 责?
责 is written with 8 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 责 mean?
责 (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 责?
责 is pronounced zé, in the second tone (rising).
What is the radical of 责?
The radical of 责 is 贝, which carries the idea of "sea shell". Dictionaries list 责 under this radical.
What is the traditional form of 责?
The traditional form of 责 is 責. Traditional characters are used in Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau; 责 is the simplified form used in mainland China and Singapore.
Is 责 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 责 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 3.
What is the difference between 责任 and 负责?
责任 (zérèn) is a noun meaning responsibility or duty, as in 这是我的责任 (This is my responsibility). 负责 (fùzé) is mainly a verb meaning to be in charge of or to take responsibility for something. It can also describe a person as conscientious, as in 他很负责 (He is very responsible).
Is 责怪 or 责备 stronger than 指责 or 谴责?
责怪 (zéguài) and 责备 (zébèi) are everyday words for blaming or scolding someone, often in personal situations. 指责 (zhǐzé) means openly criticizing or finding fault. 谴责 (qiǎnzé) is the strongest and most formal, used for publicly condemning actions, often in news reports.