間 meaning and stroke order
Between, among; midpoint; space, place, locality
How to write 間, stroke by stroke
12 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
- 10
- 11
- 12
Meaning of 間
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- between
- among
- within a definite time or space
- room
- section of a room or lateral space between two pairs of pillars
- classifier for rooms
- gap
- to separate
- to thin out (seedlings)
- to sow discontent
How 間 is built
Ideographic (compound meaning) character. The sun 日 shining through a doorway 門.
Radical: 門 (gate), shared by 42 characters on this site.
How to remember 間
Picture the sun 日 (rì) shining through the gap in a doorway 門 (mén). The light you see is in the space between the two door panels, which gives the meaning "between" or "space."
間 is the traditional form, used in Taiwan and Hong Kong. In simplified Chinese it is written 间, as in 时间 (shíjiān, time) and 房间 (fángjiān, room). It also works as a classifier for rooms: 一間房間 (yì jiān fángjiān) one room.
Common mistake: Learners often confuse 間 with 問 (wèn, to ask), which has a mouth 口 inside the door instead of the sun 日. Also note that in words like 間隔 (jiàngé, interval) and 離間 (líjiàn, to sow discord) it is read in the fourth tone, jiàn.
Common words with 間
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 時間 | shíjiān | (concept of) time; (duration of) time | HSK 1 |
| 房間 | fángjiān | room | HSK 1 |
| 中間 | zhōngjiān | the middle; the inside; in the middle; within; between; among | HSK 1 |
| 洗手間 | xǐshǒujiān | toilet; lavatory | HSK 1 |
| 衛生間 | wèishēngjiān | bathroom; toilet | HSK 3 |
| 民間 | mínjiān | among the people; popular | HSK 3 |
| 之間 | zhījiān | (after a noun) between; among; amid; (used after certain bisyllabic words to form expressi | HSK 4 |
| 空間 | kōngjiān | space; room; (fig.) scope; leeway | HSK 4 |
| 期間 | qījiān | period of time; time | HSK 4 |
| 人間 | rénjiān | the human world; the earth | HSK 5 |
| 夜間 | yèjiān | nighttime; evening or night (e.g. classes) | HSK 5 |
| 間接 | jiànjiē | indirectly; indirect | HSK 5 |
| 間諜 | jiàndié | spy | HSK 7-9 |
| 瞬間 | shùnjiān | in an instant; in a flash | HSK 7-9 |
Characters that contain 間
Learning 間 makes these easier to recognize and write.
Questions about 間
How many strokes are in 間?
間 is written with 12 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 間 mean?
間 (jiān) means between, among; midpoint; space, place, locality. A common word with it is 时间 (shíjiān), meaning "(concept of) time; (duration of) time".
How do you pronounce 間?
間 is pronounced jiān, in the first tone (high and level).
What is the radical of 間?
The radical of 間 is 門, which carries the idea of "gate". Dictionaries list 間 under this radical.
What is the simplified form of 間?
間 is a traditional character. Its simplified form is 间, used in mainland China and Singapore.
What is the difference between 之間 and 中間?
之間 (zhījiān) comes after a noun or phrase to mean "between" or "among," as in 朋友之間 (péngyǒu zhījiān) between friends. 中間 (zhōngjiān) can stand alone as a noun meaning "the middle," as in 在中間 (zài zhōngjiān) in the middle.
How do you use 間 as a measure word?
Use 間 for rooms and small buildings, such as 一間教室 (yì jiān jiàoshì) one classroom or 兩間臥室 (liǎng jiān wòshì) two bedrooms. It is not used for whole large buildings, which usually take 棟 (dòng) or 座 (zuò).