适 meaning and stroke order
Match, comfortable; just
How to write 适, 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
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
- 7
- 8
- 9
Meaning of 适
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- see 李适[Li3 Kuo4]
- to fit
- suitable
- proper
- just (now)
- comfortable
- well
How 适 is built
Phono-semantic (sound + meaning) character. Walk.
辶 gives the meaning and 舌 hints at the sound.
Radical: 辶 (to walk), shared by 131 characters on this site.
How to remember 适
适 combines the walking radical 辶 with 舌 (shé, tongue), which gives the sound. Picture walking toward food until it fits your tongue just right, so it feels suitable and comfortable.
适 rarely stands alone in modern speech. It mostly appears in words like 合适 (héshì), 适合 (shìhé), 适应 (shìyìng) and 舒适 (shūshì). Example: 这件衣服很适合你。(Zhè jiàn yīfu hěn shìhé nǐ.) This piece of clothing really suits you.
Common mistake: Learners mix up 合适 and 适合. 合适 is an adjective (这个很合适), while 适合 is a verb that takes an object (适合你), so 这个很适合 without an object sounds incomplete. Also, 舌 inside 适 is not 千 or 古, so check the top stroke and the 口 at the bottom.
Common words with 适
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 合适 | héshì | suitable; fitting; appropriate | HSK 2 |
| 适合 | shìhé | to fit; to suit | HSK 3 |
| 适应 | shìyìng | to adapt; to fit | HSK 3 |
| 适用 | shìyòng | to be applicable | HSK 3 |
| 舒适 | shūshì | cozy; snug | HSK 4 |
| 适当 | shìdàng | suitable; appropriate | HSK 6 |
| 不适 | bùshì | unwell; indisposed | HSK 7-9 |
| 适宜 | shìyí | suitable; appropriate | HSK 7-9 |
| 适度 | shìdù | moderately; appropriate | HSK 7-9 |
| 适时 | shìshí | timely; apt to the occasion | HSK 7-9 |
| 适量 | shìliàng | appropriate amount | HSK 7-9 |
| 适可而止 | shìkě'érzhǐ | (idiom) to refrain from going too far; to know when to stop | |
| 适者生存 | shìzhěshēngcún | survival of the fittest |
适 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Questions about 适
How many strokes are in 适?
适 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 适 mean?
适 (shì) means match, comfortable; just. A common word with it is 合适 (héshì), meaning "suitable; fitting; appropriate".
How do you pronounce 适?
适 is pronounced shì, in the fourth tone (falling).
What is the radical of 适?
The radical of 适 is 辶, which carries the idea of "to walk". Dictionaries list 适 under this radical.
What is the traditional form of 适?
The traditional form of 适 is 適. Traditional characters are used in Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau; 适 is the simplified form used in mainland China and Singapore.
Is 适 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 适 is part of the HSK 2 character list in the HSK 3.0 standard, and you are expected to write it by hand from HSK 2.
Why is 适 sometimes read kuò?
The kuò reading is only used in a historical personal name, 李适 (Lǐ Kuò), a Tang dynasty emperor. In everyday Chinese, always read it shì.
What does 不适 mean in a medical context?
不适 (bùshì) means feeling unwell or uncomfortable, often used in formal or medical language. For example, 身体不适 (shēntǐ bùshì) means feeling physically unwell.