軟 meaning and stroke order
Soft, pliable, flexible; weak
How to write 軟, 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 軟
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- soft
- flexible
How 軟 is built
Phono-semantic (sound + meaning) character. Cart.
車 gives the meaning and 欠 hints at the sound.
Radical: 車 (cart), shared by 49 characters on this site.
How to remember 軟
軟 combines 車 (cart) with 欠, which the data marks as the sound part. Picture a cart 車 that lacks something, so its ride feels soft and gives way when you push on it.
軟 is the traditional form of 软 (ruǎn) and describes things that are soft or yielding, and by extension people who are weak or lenient. It appears in many modern words such as 軟件 (ruǎnjiàn) software and 心軟 (xīnruǎn) softhearted. Example: 這個枕頭很軟。(Zhège zhěntou hěn ruǎn.) This pillow is very soft.
Common mistake: Learners sometimes write the right side as 次 or 吹 instead of 欠, or mix up 軟 with 較 (jiào), which also has 車 on the left. Also keep the third tone in ruǎn and do not drop the u to say rǎn.
Common words with 軟
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 軟件 | ruǎnjiàn | software | HSK 5 |
| 軟弱 | ruǎnruò | weak; feeble | HSK 7-9 |
| 柔軟 | róuruǎn | soft | HSK 7-9 |
| 軟實力 | ruǎnshílì | soft power (in international relations) | HSK 7-9 |
| 軟糖 | ruǎntáng | soft candy (gummi candy, gumdrop, jellybean etc) | |
| 軟禁 | ruǎnjìn | to place under house arrest | |
| 心軟 | xīnruǎn | to be softhearted; to be tenderhearted | |
| 手軟 | shǒuruǎn | to be lenient; to relent | |
| 軟化 | ruǎnhuà | to soften | |
| 軟管 | ruǎnguǎn | hose; flexible tube | |
| 鬆軟 | sōngruǎn | flexible; not rigid | |
| 軟肋 | ruǎnlèi | (anatomy) costal cartilage; (fig.) weak spot; weak link; vulnerability | |
| 軟體 | ruǎntǐ | (of an animal) soft-bodied; (Tw) software | |
| 軟綿綿 | ruǎnmiánmián | soft; velvety |
Questions about 軟
How many strokes are in 軟?
軟 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 軟 mean?
軟 (ruǎn) means soft, pliable, flexible; weak. A common word with it is 软件 (ruǎnjiàn), meaning "software".
How do you pronounce 軟?
軟 is pronounced ruǎn, in the third tone (dipping).
What is the radical of 軟?
The radical of 軟 is 車, which carries the idea of "cart". Dictionaries list 軟 under this radical.
What is the simplified form of 軟?
軟 is a traditional character. Its simplified form is 软, used in mainland China and Singapore.
What is the opposite of 軟?
The usual opposite is 硬 (yìng), meaning hard. They often appear as a pair, as in 軟件 (software) and 硬件 (hardware).
Does 軟 have a negative meaning when describing people?
It can. 軟弱 (ruǎnruò) means weak or feeble and is critical, while 心軟 (xīnruǎn) means softhearted and is milder. 手軟 (shǒuruǎn) means going easy on someone, often in contexts where firmness was expected.