關 meaning and stroke order
Frontier pass; to close, to shut; relation
How to write 關, stroke by stroke
19 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 關
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- mountain pass
- to close; to shut; to turn off
- to confine; to lock (sb) up; to shut (sb in a room, a bird in a cage etc)
- to concern; to involve
How 關 is built
Phono-semantic (sound + meaning) character. Gate.
門 gives the meaning and 丱 hints at the sound.
Radical: 門 (gate), shared by 42 characters on this site.
How to remember 關
Picture a gate 門 with a bar across it, the 幺幺 and 丱 inside looking like threads tied to lock it. The gate 門 gives the meaning of closing, and 丱 is the sound part.
關 (guān) is the traditional form. Mainland China writes it as 关, which is how the common words appear. It covers closing things, turning off devices, and abstract ideas of connection. Example: 請把門關上。(Qǐng bǎ mén guānshang.) Please close the door.
Common mistake: Learners often confuse 關 (guān, to close) with 開 (kāi, to open), since both sit inside 門. Remember 開 has a simple 开 inside, while 關 has the threaded 幺幺 shape. Also, 关系 is usually said guānxi with a neutral tone in 没关系 (méi guānxi).
Common words with 關
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 沒關係 | méi guānxi | it doesn't matter | HSK 1 |
| 關上 | guānshang | to close (a door); to turn off (light, electrical equipment etc) | HSK 1 |
| 關心 | guānxīn | to be concerned about; to care about | HSK 2 |
| 關機 | guānjī | to turn off (a machine or device); to finish shooting a film | HSK 2 |
| 關係 | guānxì | relation; relationship; connection; to concern; to involve; to affect | HSK 3 |
| 關注 | guānzhù | to pay attention to; to follow sth closely; to follow (on social media); concern; interest | HSK 3 |
| 相關 | xiāngguān | related; relevant | HSK 3 |
| 海關 | hǎiguān | customs (i.e. border crossing inspection) | HSK 3 |
| 關於 | guānyú | pertaining to; concerning | HSK 4 |
| 關閉 | guānbì | to close; to shut (a window etc); (of a shop, school etc) to shut down | HSK 4 |
| 關鍵 | guānjiàn | crucial point; crux | HSK 5 |
| 關懷 | guānhuái | care; solicitude | HSK 5 |
| 有關 | yǒuguān | to have sth to do with; to relate to | HSK 6 |
| 無關 | wúguān | unrelated; having nothing to do (with sth else) | HSK 6 |
Questions about 關
How many strokes are in 關?
關 is written with 19 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 關 mean?
關 (guān) means frontier pass; to close, to shut; relation. A common word with it is 没关系 (méi guānxi), meaning "it doesn't matter".
How do you pronounce 關?
關 is pronounced guān, in the first tone (high and level).
What is the radical of 關?
The radical of 關 is 門, which carries the idea of "gate". Dictionaries list 關 under this radical.
What is the simplified form of 關?
關 is a traditional character. Its simplified form is 关, used in mainland China and Singapore.
How do I say turn off the light or turn off my phone with 关?
Use 关 with the object: 关灯 (guān dēng) turn off the light, 关手机 (guān shǒujī) turn off the phone. 关机 (guānjī) alone means to power off a device.
Why does a character meaning close also mean relation?
A pass or gate is a point where two places connect, and 关 extends to things that link or concern each other. That is why you see it in 关系 (guānxì) relationship and 相关 (xiāngguān) related.