左
左 (zuǒ) means “left (direction)”. It is made of 工 and has 5 strokes, and is an HSK 2 word in the current exam syllabus (2025).
Break 左 into its parts
What 左 is made of
- 工 gōng — labor
- 一 — horizontal stroke
- 丄 shàng — above
- 丨 — vertical stroke
- 一 — horizontal stroke
Origin hint: A left hand; compare 又 (from the Make Me a Hanzi dataset; treat as a memory aid where history is uncertain)
左 stroke order
Example sentences
他左手拿着一本书。Tā zuǒshǒu ná zhe yī běn shū.He's holding a book in his left hand.
医院在左面吗？Yīyuàn zài zuǒmiàn ma?Is the hospital on the left?
Words with 左
Also built with 工
- 功gōngachievement
- 巧qiǎoby coincidence
- 巩gǒngto bind
- 差chàpoor
- 式shìformula
- 扛kángto carry on the shoulder
- 攻gōngto accuse
- 杠gāngpole
- 江jiāngriver
- 空kōngempty
- 红hóngred
- 虹hóngrainbow
Quick facts
| Pinyin | zuǒ |
|---|---|
| Meaning | left (direction) |
| Strokes | 5 |
| Radical | 工 (work, #48) |
| Pattern | Top-left wrap |
| HSK | HSK 2 (exam 2025) · HSK 1 (2021) |
Questions about 左
What does 左 mean?
左 (zuǒ) means “left (direction)”.
How many strokes does 左 have?
左 has 5 strokes.
What is the radical of 左?
The radical of 左 is 工 (gōng, “work”), Kangxi radical number 48.
What parts make up 左?
左 is made of 工 (labor).
Which HSK level is 左?
左 is in HSK 2 (exam 2025) and HSK 1 (2021).
Learn 左 with its group
It is part of HSK 1 (2021) · Group 47: a short group with quick checks and spaced repeats.