手
手 (shǒu) means “hand”. It is a single picture-like unit with 4 strokes, and is an HSK 2 word in the current exam syllabus (2025).
Break 手 into its parts
What 手 is made of
手 is not built from smaller parts; it is written with 4 strokes.
Origin hint: A hand with the fingers splayed (from the Make Me a Hanzi dataset; treat as a memory aid where history is uncertain)
手 stroke order
Example sentences
吃饭前要洗手。Chīfàn qián yào xǐ shǒu.Wash your hands before meals.
你的手冷不冷？Nǐ de shǒu lěng bù lěng?Are your hands cold?
Words with 手
- 手机shǒujīmobile phone
- 洗手间xǐshǒujiāntoilet
- 举手jǔshǒuto raise one's hand
- 手表shǒubiǎowatch (wristwatch)
- 对手duìshǒuopponent
- 歌手gēshǒusinger
- 手续shǒuxùprocedures
- 手指shǒuzhǐfinger
- 握手wòshǒuto shake hands
- 选手xuǎnshǒucontestant
- 二手èrshǒusecond-hand
- 分手fēnshǒuto break up
- 手工shǒugōnghandmade
- 手里shǒulǐin (one's) hand
- 手术shǒushùoperation
- 手套shǒutàogloves
- 随手suíshǒucasually
- 爱不释手àibùshìshǒuto love something too much to put it down
- 把手bǎshouhandle
- 不择手段bùzéshǒuduànby any means necessary
- 动手dòngshǒuto start work
- 拿手náshǒugood at
- 手法shǒufǎtechnique
- 手势shǒushìgesture
- 手艺shǒuyìcraftsmanship
- 凶手xiōngshǒumurderer
- 助手zhùshǒuhelper
- 着手zhuóshǒuto set about
Quick facts
| Pinyin | shǒu |
|---|---|
| Meaning | hand |
| Strokes | 4 |
| Radical | 手 (hand, #64) |
| Pattern | Single unit |
| HSK | HSK 2 (exam 2025) · HSK 1 (2021) |
Questions about 手
What does 手 mean?
手 (shǒu) means “hand”.
How many strokes does 手 have?
手 has 4 strokes.
What is the radical of 手?
The radical of 手 is 手 (shǒu, “hand”), Kangxi radical number 64.
Which HSK level is 手?
手 is in HSK 2 (exam 2025) and HSK 1 (2021).
Learn 手 with its group
It is part of HSK 1 (2021) · Group 39: a short group with quick checks and spaced repeats.