子
子 (zi) means “noun suffix”. It is made of 了 + 一 and has 3 strokes, and is an HSK 3 word in the current exam syllabus (2025).
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)
子 stroke order
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
- 个子gèziheight
- 饺子jiǎozidumpling
- 句子jùzisentence
- 筷子kuàizichopsticks
- 例子lìziexample
- 瓶子píngzibottle
- 日子rìziday
- 样子yàngziappearance
- 椅子yǐzichair
- 院子yuànzicourtyard
- 被子bèiziquilt
- 电子邮件diànzǐ yóujiànemail
- 裤子kùzitrousers
- 男子nánzǐman
- 女子nǚzǐwoman
- 牌子páizibrand
- 裙子qúnziskirt
- 沙子shāzisand
- 屋子wūziroom
- 种子zhǒngziseed
- 子女zǐnǚchildren
- 尺子chǐziruler
- 虫子chóngziinsect
- 窗子chuāngziwindow
- 肚子dùzibelly
- 镜子jìngzimirror
- 轮子lúnziwheel
- 帽子màozihat
- 盘子pánziplate
- 胖子pàngzifat person
- 妻子qīziwife
- 刷子shuāzibrush
- 孙子sūnzigrandson
- 袜子wàzisocks
- 箱子xiāngzibox
- 小伙子xiǎohuǒziyoung man
- 叶子yèzileaf
- 影子yǐngzishadow
- 鼻子bízinose
- 盒子hézibox
- 勺子sháozispoon
- 脖子bózineck
- 叉子chāzifork
- 管子guǎnzitube
- 猴子hóuzimonkey
- 夹子jiāziclip
- 桔子júzitangerine
- 嗓子sǎngzithroat
- 扇子shànzifan (hand-held)
- 绳子shéngzirope
- 狮子shīzilion
- 梳子shūzicomb
- 兔子tùzirabbit
- 王子wángzǐprince
- 一辈子yíbèizia lifetime
- 竹子zhúzibamboo
- 辫子biànzibraid
- 鸽子gēzipigeon
- 钩子gōuzihook
- 君子jūnzǐgentleman
- 面子miànziface
- 曲子qǔzitune
- 嫂子sǎozisister-in-law
- 亭子tíngzipavilion
- 侄子zhízinephew (brother's son)
- 子弹zǐdànbullet
- 电子书diànzǐshūe-book
- 袋子dàizibag
- 父子fùzǐfather and son
- 母子mǔzǐmother and son
Also built with 了
Quick facts
| Pinyin | zi |
|---|---|
| Meaning | noun suffix; child |
| Strokes | 3 |
| Radical | 子 (child, #39) |
| Pattern | Overlapping |
| HSK | HSK 3 (exam 2025) · HSK 1 (2021) |
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 (exam 2025) and HSK 1 (2021).
Learn 子 with its group
It is part of HSK 1 (2021) · Group 42: a short group with quick checks and spaced repeats.