连 meaning and stroke order
To link; to join; to connect
How to write 连, 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 连
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- to link
- to join
- to connect
- continuously
- in succession
- including
How 连 is built
Ideographic (compound meaning) character. A cart 车 moving 辶 goods between cities.
Radical: 辶 (to walk), shared by 131 characters on this site.
How to remember 连
连 (lián) shows a cart 车 on the move 辶. Picture carts traveling one after another along a road, linking city to city in a continuous line.
连 is used for connecting things and for actions happening in a row, as in 连续 (liánxù) and 连接 (liánjiē). It also appears in the pattern 连...都/也... meaning "even". Example: 他连早饭都没吃。(Tā lián zǎofàn dōu méi chī.) He didn't even eat breakfast.
Common mistake: Learners often use 连 for "even" but forget the 都 (dōu) or 也 (yě) that must follow, saying 他连早饭没吃 instead of 他连早饭都没吃. Also do not confuse 连 with 运 (yùn, to transport), which has the same 辶 but 云 inside instead of 车.
Common words with 连
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 连续 | liánxù | continuous; in a row | HSK 3 |
| 连续剧 | liánxùjù | TV series | HSK 3 |
| 连忙 | liánmáng | promptly; at once | HSK 3 |
| 连接 | liánjiē | to link; to join; to connect | HSK 5 |
| 接连 | jiēlián | on end; in a row | HSK 5 |
| 相连 | xiānglián | to link; to join | HSK 7-9 |
| 一连串 | yīliánchuàn | a succession of; a series of | HSK 7-9 |
| 连锁 | liánsuǒ | to interlock; to be linked | HSK 7-9 |
| 连任 | liánrèn | to continue in (a political) office; to serve for another term of office | HSK 7-9 |
| 连锁店 | liánsuǒdiàn | chain store | HSK 7-9 |
| 连夜 | liányè | that very night; through the night | HSK 7-9 |
| 一连 | yīlián | in a row; in succession | HSK 7-9 |
| 接二连三 | jiē'èr-liánsān | (idiom) one after another; in quick succession | HSK 7-9 |
| 连绵 | liánmián | continuous; unbroken | HSK 7-9 |
连 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Characters that contain 连
Learning 连 makes these easier to recognize and write.
Questions about 连
How many strokes are in 连?
连 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 连 mean?
连 (lián) means to link; to join; to connect. A common word with it is 连续 (liánxù), meaning "continuous; in a row".
How do you pronounce 连?
连 is pronounced lián, in the second tone (rising).
What is the radical of 连?
The radical of 连 is 辶, which carries the idea of "to walk". Dictionaries list 连 under this radical.
What is the traditional form of 连?
The traditional form of 连 is 連. Traditional characters are used in Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau; 连 is the simplified form used in mainland China and Singapore.
Is 连 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 连 is part of the HSK 3 character list in the HSK 3.0 standard, and you are expected to write it by hand from HSK 2.
What is the difference between 连续 and 接连?
Both mean "in a row". 连续 (liánxù) is more common and can modify nouns or verbs, as in 连续三天 (three days in a row). 接连 (jiējiē) is mostly placed before verbs to describe events following closely, as in 接连发生 (happened one after another).
Does 连忙 mean the same as 马上?
Not quite. 连忙 (liánmáng) describes someone reacting quickly to something that already happened and is used for past narration, not commands. 马上 (mǎshàng) can be used for the future and in requests, like 马上来 (come right away).