载 meaning and stroke order
Load; to carry, to convey, to transport
How to write 载, stroke by stroke
10 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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Meaning of 载
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- to record in writing
- to carry (i.e. publish in a newspaper etc)
- Taiwan pr. [zai4]
- year
- to carry
- to convey
- to load
- to hold
- to fill up
- and
How 载 is built
Phono-semantic (sound + meaning) character. Cart.
车 gives the meaning and 哉 hints at the sound.
Radical: 戈 (spear), shared by 34 characters on this site.
How to remember 载
载 is built from 车 (chē, cart) tucked inside the frame of 哉 (zāi), which gives the sound. Picture a cart loaded with cargo, and you have zài, to carry or load.
As zài it means to carry or load, as in 装载 (zhuāngzài) and 车载 (chēzài). It also appears in the everyday word 下载 (xiàzài, to download). Example: 我在下载一个软件。(Wǒ zài xiàzài yí gè ruǎnjiàn.) I am downloading an app.
Common mistake: Learners often confuse 载 with 栽 (zāi, to plant) and 裁 (cái, to cut), which share the same frame. Remember that only 载 has 车 inside, since it is about carrying. Another trap is the tone. 记载 (jìzǎi) and 转载 (zhuǎnzǎi) use third tone zǎi, while 装载 (zhuāngzài) uses fourth tone zài.
Common words with 载
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 下载 | xiàzài | to download; also pr. [xia4zai4] | HSK 4 |
| 记载 | jìzǎi | to write down; to record | HSK 4 |
| 转载 | zhuǎnzǎi | to forward (a shipment); to reprint sth published elsewhere | HSK 7-9 |
| 承载 | chéngzài | to bear the weight; to sustain | HSK 7-9 |
| 载体 | zàitǐ | carrier (chemistry); vector (epidemiology) | HSK 7-9 |
| 装载 | zhuāngzài | to load; to stow | |
| 车载 | chēzài | carried within a vehicle; onboard | |
| 千载难逢 | qiānzǎinánféng | extremely rare (idiom); once in a blue moon | |
| 满载 | mǎnzài | full to capacity; fully loaded | |
| 加载 | jiāzài | to load (cargo); (computing) to load (content) | |
| 超载 | chāozài | to overload | |
| 连载 | liánzǎi | serialized; published as a serial (in a newspaper) | |
| 搭载 | dāzài | (of a vehicle) to carry (a passenger or payload); (of a device or system) to be equipped w | |
| 负载 | fùzài | to carry; to support |
载 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Questions about 载
How many strokes are in 载?
载 is written with 10 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 载 mean?
载 (zài) means load; to carry, to convey, to transport. A common word with it is 下载 (xiàzài), meaning "to download; also pr. [xia4zai4]".
How do you pronounce 载?
载 is pronounced zài, in the fourth tone (falling).
What is the radical of 载?
The radical of 载 is 戈, which carries the idea of "spear". Dictionaries list 载 under this radical.
What is the traditional form of 载?
The traditional form of 载 is 載. Traditional characters are used in Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau; 载 is the simplified form used in mainland China and Singapore.
Is 载 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 载 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.
When is 载 read zǎi instead of zài?
Use zǎi when it means to record or publish, as in 记载 (jìzǎi) and 转载 (zhuǎnzǎi), or when it means year, as in 千载难逢 (qiānzǎinánféng). Use zài when it means to carry or load, as in 装载 (zhuāngzài) and 承载 (chéngzài).
Is 下载 pronounced xiàzài or xiàzǎi?
The dictionary lists xiàzài as the main reading, and xiàzǎi is also heard. Many mainland speakers say xiàzǎi in daily speech. Either will be understood.