软 meaning and stroke order
Soft; flexible
How to write 软, 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.
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- 8
Meaning of 软
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- soft
- flexible
- variant of 軟|软[ruan3]
How 软 is built
Phono-semantic (sound + meaning) character. Cart.
车 gives the meaning and 欠 hints at the sound.
Radical: 车 (cart), shared by 50 characters on this site.
How to remember 软
软 is a cart 车 (chē) next to 欠 (qiàn), which gives the sound. Picture a cart with soft, padded wheels that bend instead of staying hard, and you have 软 (ruǎn), soft.
软 describes physical softness and also softness of character, as in 心软 (xīnruǎn) softhearted. It appears in many modern words like 软件 (ruǎnjiàn) software. Example: 这个枕头很软。(Zhège zhěntou hěn ruǎn.) This pillow is very soft.
Common mistake: Learners sometimes write the left side as 东 or 车 with an extra stroke, or swap in 饮 (yǐn), which has 欠 but a food radical on the left. Also keep the third tone in ruǎn; it is not ruán.
Common words with 软
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 软件 | ruǎnjiàn | software | HSK 5 |
| 软弱 | ruǎnruò | weak; feeble | HSK 7-9 |
| 柔软 | róuruǎn | soft | HSK 7-9 |
| 软实力 | ruǎnshílì | soft power (in international relations) | HSK 7-9 |
| 软糖 | ruǎntáng | soft candy (gummi candy, gumdrop, jellybean etc) | |
| 软禁 | ruǎnjìn | to place under house arrest | |
| 心软 | xīnruǎn | to be softhearted; to be tenderhearted | |
| 手软 | shǒuruǎn | to be lenient; to relent | |
| 软化 | ruǎnhuà | to soften | |
| 软管 | ruǎnguǎn | hose; flexible tube | |
| 松软 | sōngruǎn | flexible; not rigid | |
| 软肋 | ruǎnlèi | (anatomy) costal cartilage; (fig.) weak spot; weak link; vulnerability | |
| 软体 | ruǎntǐ | (of an animal) soft-bodied; (Tw) software | |
| 软绵绵 | ruǎnmiánmián | soft; velvety |
软 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Questions about 软
How many strokes are in 软?
软 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 软 mean?
软 (ruǎn) means soft; flexible. A common word with it is 软件 (ruǎnjiàn), meaning "software".
How do you pronounce 软?
软 is pronounced ruǎn, in the third tone (dipping).
What is the radical of 软?
The radical of 软 is 车, which carries the idea of "cart". Dictionaries list 软 under this radical.
What is the traditional form of 软?
The traditional form of 软 is 軟 and 輭. Traditional characters are used in Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau; 软 is the simplified form used in mainland China and Singapore.
Is 软 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 软 is part of the HSK 5 character list in the HSK 3.0 standard.
What is the opposite of 软?
The usual opposite is 硬 (yìng), hard. You often see them paired, as in 软件 (ruǎnjiàn) software and 硬件 (yìngjiàn) hardware.
What is the difference between 软 and 柔软?
软 is the basic word and works alone after 很, as in 很软. 柔软 (róuruǎn) is a two-syllable word that sounds a bit more descriptive or written, often used for gentle softness like fabric or hair.