针 meaning and stroke order
Needle; pin; injection
How to write 针, 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 针
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- needle
- pin
- injection
- stitch
- variant of 針|针[zhen1], needle
How 针 is built
Ideographic (compound meaning) character. A metal 钅 pin 十.
Radical: 钅 (gold), shared by 223 characters on this site.
How to remember 针
The metal radical 钅 on the left tells you this is made of metal, and 十 (shí) on the right looks like a pin pushed through cloth. A metal pin is a needle, 针 (zhēn).
针 means a sewing needle, a medical needle, or any needle-like pointer, as in 指南针 (zhǐnánzhēn) compass. It also appears in abstract words like 针对 (zhēnduì) to target, and 方针 (fāngzhēn) policy. Example: 我今天去医院打针。 (Wǒ jīntiān qù yīyuàn dǎzhēn.) I am going to the hospital for an injection today.
Common mistake: Learners sometimes write the right side as 千 or 干 instead of 十, which gives the wrong character. Also remember the first tone: zhēn, not zhèn as in 镇 (zhèn) town.
Common words with 针
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 针对 | zhēnduì | to target; to focus on; to be aimed at or against; in response to | HSK 4 |
| 打针 | dǎzhēn | to give or get an injection | HSK 4 |
| 方针 | fāngzhēn | policy; guidelines | HSK 4 |
| 指南针 | zhǐnánzhēn | compass | HSK 7-9 |
| 针锋相对 | zhēnfēng-xiāngduì | to oppose each other with equal harshness (idiom); tit for tat; measure for measure | HSK 7-9 |
| 针灸 | zhēnjiǔ | acupuncture and moxibustion; to give or have acupuncture and moxibustion | HSK 7-9 |
| 针头 | zhēntóu | tip of a needle; syringe needle | |
| 胸针 | xiōngzhēn | brooch | |
| 别针 | biézhēn | pin; safety pin | |
| 指针 | zhǐzhēn | pointer on a gauge; clock hand | |
| 大海捞针 | dàhǎilāozhēn | lit. to fish a needle from the sea; to find a needle in a haystack (idiom) | |
| 针筒 | zhēntǒng | syringe | |
| 缝针 | féngzhēn | to stitch fabric; (medicine) to sew up a wound or incision | |
| 针孔 | zhēnkǒng | pinhole |
针 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Questions about 针
How many strokes are in 针?
针 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 针 mean?
针 (zhēn) means needle; pin; injection. A common word with it is 针对 (zhēnduì), meaning "to target; to focus on; to be aimed at or against; in response to".
How do you pronounce 针?
针 is pronounced zhēn, in the first tone (high and level).
What is the radical of 针?
The radical of 针 is 钅, which carries the idea of "gold". Dictionaries list 针 under this radical.
What is the traditional form of 针?
The traditional form of 针 is 針 and 鍼. Traditional characters are used in Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau; 针 is the simplified form used in mainland China and Singapore.
Is 针 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 针 is part of the HSK 4 character list in the HSK 3.0 standard.
How do you say 'needle and thread' in Chinese?
Say 针线 (zhēnxiàn). It can also refer to sewing work in general.
What is the measure word for 针?
For a physical needle use 根 (gēn), as in 一根针 (yì gēn zhēn). For injections or stitches, 针 itself works as a measure word, as in 打了一针 (dǎle yì zhēn) got one shot, or 缝了三针 (féngle sān zhēn) got three stitches.