进 meaning and stroke order
To go forward; to advance; to go in
How to write 进, stroke by stroke
7 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
Meaning of 进
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- to go forward
- to advance
- to go in
- to enter
- to put in
- to submit
How 进 is built
Phono-semantic (sound + meaning) character. Walk.
辶 gives the meaning and 井 hints at the sound.
Radical: 辶 (to walk), shared by 131 characters on this site.
How to remember 进
The walking radical 辶 shows movement, and 井 (jǐng, a well) gives the sound. Picture yourself walking forward past a well and into a village: you advance and you enter.
进 (jìn) means moving forward or moving into a space, and it often pairs with direction words like 来 and 去. It also appears in more formal words such as 进行 (jìnxíng, to carry out) and 进步 (jìnbù, progress). Example: 请进，坐吧。(Qǐng jìn, zuò ba.) Please come in and sit down.
Common mistake: Learners often mix up 进 (jìn, to enter) and 近 (jìn, near). Both have 辶 and the same pronunciation, but 近 has 斤 inside. Another mistake is using 进 alone for "enter a room" in casual speech when 进来 or 进去 sounds more natural.
Common words with 进
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 进来 | jìnlái | to come in | HSK 1 |
| 进去 | jìnqù | to go in | HSK 1 |
| 请进 | qǐng jìn | "please come in" | HSK 1 |
| 进行 | jìnxíng | (of a process etc) to proceed; to be in progress; to be underway; (of people) to carry out | HSK 2 |
| 进入 | jìnrù | to enter; to go into | HSK 2 |
| 走进 | zǒujìn | to enter; to step into | HSK 2 |
| 前进 | qiánjìn | to go forward; to forge ahead | HSK 3 |
| 进展 | jìnzhǎn | to make headway; to make progress | HSK 3 |
| 进步 | jìnbù | progress; improvement; to improve; to progress | HSK 3 |
| 先进 | xiānjìn | sophisticated; advanced (technology etc); meritorious; exemplary (deeds etc) | HSK 3 |
| 进一步 | jìnyībù | to go a step further; (develop, understand, improve etc) more; further | HSK 3 |
| 推进 | tuījìn | to impel; to carry forward | HSK 3 |
| 改进 | gǎijìn | to improve; to make better; improvement | HSK 3 |
| 进口 | jìnkǒu | to import; imported | HSK 4 |
进 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Questions about 进
How many strokes are in 进?
进 is written with 7 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 进 mean?
进 (jìn) means to go forward; to advance; to go in. A common word with it is 进来 (jìnlái), meaning "to come in".
How do you pronounce 进?
进 is pronounced jìn, in the fourth tone (falling).
What is the radical of 进?
The radical of 进 is 辶, which carries the idea of "to walk". Dictionaries list 进 under this radical.
What is the traditional form of 进?
The traditional form of 进 is 進. Traditional characters are used in Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau; 进 is the simplified form used in mainland China and Singapore.
Is 进 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 进 is part of the HSK 1 character list in the HSK 3.0 standard, and you are expected to write it by hand from HSK 1.
What is the difference between 进来 and 进去?
进来 (jìnlái) means coming in toward the speaker, and 进去 (jìnqù) means going in away from the speaker. If you are inside calling someone, say 进来. If you are outside telling someone to enter, say 进去.
How is 进 different from 入 (rù)?
Both mean to enter, but 进 is the everyday spoken choice. 入 is more formal or written and appears mostly in compounds like 入口 (rùkǒu, entrance) or 进入 (jìnrù, to enter).