才
才 (cái) means “talent”. It is made of 扌 and has 3 strokes, and is an HSK 3 word in the current exam syllabus (2025).
Break 才 into its parts
What 才 is made of
- 扌 shǒu — hand
- 二 — two strokes
- 一 — horizontal stroke
- 一 — horizontal stroke
- 亅 — hook
- 二 — two strokes
Origin hint: A sprout growing in the ground, representing a budding talent (from the Make Me a Hanzi dataset; treat as a memory aid where history is uncertain)
才 stroke order
Example sentences
他是一个很有才的年轻人。Tā shì yī gè hěn yǒu cái de niánqīngrén.He is a very talented young man.
公司需要更多人才。Gōngsī xūyào gèng duō réncái.The company needs more talented people.
Words with 才
- 刚才gāngcáijust now
- 才能cáinéngtalent
- 人才réncáitalented person
- 只有才zhǐyǒu…cáionly if … then …
- 才干cáigànability
- 天才tiāncáigenius
Also built with 扌
- 举jǔto raise
- 我wǒI
- 扎zhāto prick
- 扑pūto pounce on
- 扒bāto hold on to
- 打dǎto play (ball)
- 扔rēngto throw
- 托tuōto raise
- 扛kángto carry on the shoulder
- 扣kòuto fasten
- 执zhíto execute
- 扩kuòto expand
Quick facts
| Pinyin | cái |
|---|---|
| Meaning | talent; ability |
| Strokes | 3 |
| Radical | 手 (hand, #64) |
| Pattern | Overlapping |
| HSK | HSK 3 (exam 2025) · HSK 4 (2021) |
Questions about 才
What does 才 mean?
才 (cái) means “talent; ability”.
How many strokes does 才 have?
才 has 3 strokes.
What is the radical of 才?
The radical of 才 is 手 (shǒu, “hand”), Kangxi radical number 64.
What parts make up 才?
才 is made of 扌 (hand).
Which HSK level is 才?
才 is in HSK 3 (exam 2025) and HSK 4 (2021).
Learn 才 with its group
It is part of HSK 2 (2021) · Group 46: a short group with quick checks and spaced repeats.