轴 meaning and stroke order
Axle, pivot, shaft; axis
How to write 轴, stroke by stroke
9 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
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- 4
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- 8
- 9
Meaning of 轴
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- axis
- axle
- spool (for thread)
- roller (for scrolls)
- classifier for calligraphy rolls etc
- used in 壓軸|压轴[ya1 zhou4]
- Taiwan pr. [zhou2]
How 轴 is built
Phono-semantic (sound + meaning) character. Wheel.
车 gives the meaning and 由 hints at the sound.
Radical: 车 (cart), shared by 50 characters on this site.
How to remember 轴
The left side 车 (chē, vehicle) gives the meaning, and 由 (yóu) on the right hints at the sound. Picture the rod running through a cart's wheels: that rod is the axle, 轴 (zhóu).
轴 (zhóu) means an axle, shaft, or axis, and also a roller for scrolls or a spool for thread. It appears in words like 车轴 (chēzhóu, axle), 时间轴 (shíjiānzhóu, timeline), and 卷轴 (juànzhóu, scroll). Example: 这个视频的时间轴很清楚。(Zhège shìpín de shíjiānzhóu hěn qīngchu.) The timeline of this video is very clear.
Common mistake: Learners often read 压轴 as yāzhóu, but in mainland Mandarin it is yāzhòu with a fourth tone, which is the special reading of 轴. Also do not confuse the right side 由 with 田 or 甲. The middle stroke of 由 sticks out on top only.
Common words with 轴
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 车轴 | chēzhóu | axle | HSK 7-9 |
| 时间轴 | shíjiānzhóu | time axis; timeline | |
| 卷轴 | juànzhóu | scroll (book or painting) | |
| 压轴 | yāzhòu | final and most important item (on a program, schedule etc); grand finale; (attributive) fi |
轴 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Questions about 轴
How many strokes are in 轴?
轴 is written with 9 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 轴 mean?
轴 (zhóu) means axle, pivot, shaft; axis. A common word with it is 车轴 (chēzhóu), meaning "axle".
How do you pronounce 轴?
轴 is pronounced zhóu, in the second tone (rising).
What is the radical of 轴?
The radical of 轴 is 车, which carries the idea of "cart". Dictionaries list 轴 under this radical.
What is the traditional form of 轴?
The traditional form of 轴 is 軸. Traditional characters are used in Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau; 轴 is the simplified form used in mainland China and Singapore.
Is 轴 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 轴 is part of the HSK 7-9 character list in the HSK 3.0 standard.
What does 压轴 (yāzhòu) mean?
It refers to the final and most important item on a program, like the grand finale of a show. For example, 压轴节目 (yāzhòu jiémù) is the closing highlight act.
Can 轴 be used as a measure word?
Yes. It is a classifier for calligraphy or painting rolls, as in 一轴画 (yì zhóu huà), one scroll painting. This use is more literary than everyday.