隨 meaning and stroke order
To follow, to listen to, to submit to
How to write 隨, stroke by stroke
14 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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- 14
Meaning of 隨
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- to follow
- to comply with
- varying according to...
- to allow
- subsequently
How 隨 is built
Ideographic (compound meaning) character. To walk 遀 to the city 阝; to follow a path.
Radical: 阝 (place), shared by 160 characters on this site.
How to remember 隨
Picture someone walking 遀 along a road toward a city 阝 on the left. They are following the path, so 隨 (suí) means to follow.
隨 (suí) is the traditional form of 随, and it often means doing something along with or according to something else, as in 隨著 (suízhe) "along with" or 隨時 (suíshí) "at any time." It also appears in casual phrases like 隨便 (suíbiàn) "as you like." Example: 你隨時可以來。(Nǐ suíshí kěyǐ lái.) You can come any time.
Common mistake: Learners often confuse 隨 with 隋 (Suí), the name of the Sui dynasty, which looks similar but lacks the walking 辶 part. Also remember the tone is second tone, suí, not suì as in 歲 (suì, age).
Common words with 隨
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 隨便 | suíbiàn | as one wishes; as one pleases | HSK 2 |
| 隨時 | suíshí | at any time; at all times; at the right time; whenever necessary | HSK 2 |
| 隨手 | suíshǒu | conveniently; without extra trouble | HSK 4 |
| 隨著 | suízhe | along with; in the wake of | HSK 5 |
| 隨意 | suíyì | as one wishes; according to one's wishes | HSK 5 |
| 跟隨 | gēnsuí | to follow | HSK 5 |
| 隨後 | suíhòu | afterward; later; subsequently; following that | HSK 5 |
| 追隨 | zhuīsuí | to follow; to accompany | HSK 7-9 |
| 伴隨 | bànsuí | to accompany; to follow | HSK 7-9 |
| 隨機 | suíjī | according to the situation; pragmatic | HSK 7-9 |
| 隨心所欲 | suíxīnsuǒyù | (idiom) to follow one's heart's desires; to do as one pleases | HSK 7-9 |
| 隨時隨地 | suíshí-suídì | anytime and anywhere | HSK 7-9 |
| 隨身 | suíshēn | to (carry) on one's person; to (take) with one | HSK 7-9 |
| 隨處可見 | suíchù kě jiàn | can be seen everywhere | HSK 7-9 |
Questions about 隨
How many strokes are in 隨?
隨 is written with 14 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 隨 mean?
隨 (suí) means to follow, to listen to, to submit to. A common word with it is 随便 (suíbiàn), meaning "as one wishes; as one pleases".
How do you pronounce 隨?
隨 is pronounced suí, in the second tone (rising).
What is the radical of 隨?
The radical of 隨 is 阝, which carries the idea of "place". Dictionaries list 隨 under this radical.
What is the simplified form of 隨?
隨 is a traditional character. Its simplified form is 随, used in mainland China and Singapore.
Does 隨便 sound rude in Chinese?
It depends on context. Answering 隨便 (suíbiàn) when asked what to eat is normal and means "anything is fine." Describing a person as 很隨便 can mean careless or too casual, which is negative.
What is the difference between 隨 and 跟?
跟 (gēn) is the everyday word for physically following or for "with." 隨 (suí) is more formal or appears in fixed words like 隨時 and 隨著, and 跟隨 (gēnsuí) combines both to mean "to follow."