子
子 (zi) means “noun suffix”. It is made of 了 + 一 and has 3 strokes, and is an HSK 1 word.
Break 子 into its parts
What 子 is made of
- 了 liǎo / le — finish
- 乛 — bent stroke
- 亅 — hook
- 一 — horizontal stroke
Origin hint: A child in a wrap, with outstretched arms but bundled legs (from the Make Me a Hanzi dataset; treat as a memory aid where history is uncertain)
Example sentences
我儿子今年五岁。Wǒ érzi jīnnián wǔ suì.My son is five this year.
这个椅子是新的吗？Zhège yǐzi shì xīn de ma?Is this chair new?
Words with 子
- 包子bāozisteamed stuffed bun
- 杯子bēizicup
- 本子běnzinotebook
- 儿子érzison
- 房子fángzihouse
- 孩子háizichild
- 桌子zhuōzitable
- 椅子yǐzichair
Quick facts
| Pinyin | zi |
|---|---|
| Meaning | noun suffix; child |
| Strokes | 3 |
| Radical | 子 (child, #39) |
| Pattern | Overlapping |
| HSK | HSK 3.0 · Level 1 |
Questions about 子
What does 子 mean?
子 (zi) means “noun suffix; child”.
How many strokes does 子 have?
子 has 3 strokes.
What is the radical of 子?
The radical of 子 is 子 (zi, “child”), Kangxi radical number 39.
What parts make up 子?
子 is made of 了 (finish) and 一 (horizontal stroke).
Which HSK level is 子?
子 is in HSK 3.0 · Level 1.
Learn 子 with its group
It is part of HSK 1 · Group 42: 10 words with quick checks and spaced repeats.