指
指 (zhǐ) means “to point at”. It is made of 扌 + 旨 and has 9 strokes, and is an HSK 4 word in the current exam syllabus (2025).
Break 指 into its parts
What 指 is made of
- 扌 shǒu — hand
- 二 — two strokes
- 一 — horizontal stroke
- 一 — horizontal stroke
- 亅 — hook
- 二 — two strokes
- 旨 zhǐ — aim
- 匕 bǐ — spoon
- 乚 — hook stroke
- 丿 — falling stroke
- 日 rì — sun; day
- 口 kǒu — mouth
- 一 — horizontal stroke
- 匕 bǐ — spoon
Origin hint: To point 旨 by hand 扌; 旨 also provides the pronunciation (from the Make Me a Hanzi dataset; treat as a memory aid where history is uncertain)
指 stroke order
Example sentences
他用手指着地图。Tā yòng shǒu zhǐ zhe dìtú.He is pointing at the map with his hand.
你是指这个问题吗？Nǐ shì zhǐ zhège wèntí ma?Do you mean this question?
Words with 指
- 手指shǒuzhǐfinger
- 指出zhǐchūto point out
- 指导zhǐdǎoto guide
- 指挥zhǐhuīto conduct
- 戒指jièzhiring (on a finger)
- 指标zhǐbiāotarget
- 指定zhǐdìngto designate
- 指甲zhǐjiafingernail
- 指令zhǐlìnginstruction
- 指南针zhǐnánzhēncompass
- 指示zhǐshìinstruction
- 指望zhǐwangto count on
- 指责zhǐzéto criticise
Also built with 扌
- 举jǔto raise
- 我wǒI
- 才cáitalent
- 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
Quick facts
| Pinyin | zhǐ |
|---|---|
| Meaning | to point at; to point to; to mean |
| Strokes | 9 |
| Radical | 手 (hand, #64) |
| Pattern | Left–right |
| HSK | HSK 4 (exam 2025) · HSK 3 (2021) · Old HSK 4 |
Questions about 指
What does 指 mean?
指 (zhǐ) means “to point at; to point to; to mean”.
How many strokes does 指 have?
指 has 9 strokes.
What is the radical of 指?
The radical of 指 is 手 (shǒu, “hand”), Kangxi radical number 64.
What parts make up 指?
指 is made of 扌 (hand) and 旨 (aim).
Which HSK level is 指?
指 is in HSK 4 (exam 2025) and HSK 3 (2021) and Old HSK 4.
Learn 指 with its group
It is part of HSK 3 (2021) · Group 34: a short group with quick checks and spaced repeats.