键 meaning and stroke order
Key (on a piano or computer keyboard); button (on a mouse or other device); chemical bond
How to write 键, stroke by stroke
13 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 键
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- key (on a piano or computer keyboard)
- button (on a mouse or other device)
- chemical bond
- linchpin
How 键 is built
Phono-semantic (sound + meaning) character. Metal.
钅 gives the meaning and 建 hints at the sound.
Radical: 钅 (gold), shared by 223 characters on this site.
How to remember 键
键 is a pictophonetic character: 钅 (metal) on the left gives the meaning, and 建 (jiàn, to build) on the right gives the sound. Picture a metal bolt or key that holds a whole building together.
Today 键 mostly means a key or button on a keyboard or device, as in 键盘 (jiànpán) and 按键 (ànjiàn). It also appears in 关键 (guānjiàn), meaning the crucial point. Example: 这是问题的关键。(Zhè shì wèntí de guānjiàn.) This is the crux of the problem.
Common mistake: Learners often confuse 键 with 健 (jiàn, healthy), as in 健康. Both share 建 and the same sound. Remember that 钅 (metal) goes with keys and bolts, and 亻 (person) goes with health.
Common words with 键
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
键 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Questions about 键
How many strokes are in 键?
键 is written with 13 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 键 mean?
键 (jiàn) means key (on a piano or computer keyboard); button (on a mouse or other device); chemical bond. A common word with it is 关键 (guānjiàn), meaning "crucial point; crux".
How do you pronounce 键?
键 is pronounced jiàn, in the fourth tone (falling).
What is the radical of 键?
The radical of 键 is 钅, which carries the idea of "gold". Dictionaries list 键 under this radical.
What is the traditional form of 键?
The traditional form of 键 is 鍵. Traditional characters are used in Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau; 键 is the simplified form used in mainland China and Singapore.
Is 键 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 键 is part of the HSK 5 character list in the HSK 3.0 standard.
Is 键 the word for a door key?
No. A key for a lock is 钥匙 (yàoshi). 键 is used for keys you press, like on a piano or keyboard, and in the abstract sense of 关键.
What does 键 mean in chemistry?
In chemistry 键 means a chemical bond, as in 化学键 (huàxuéjiàn). The idea of a linchpin that holds parts together carries over to atoms.