改
改 (gǎi) means “to change”. It is made of 己 + 攵 and has 7 strokes, and is an HSK 4 word in the current exam syllabus (2025).
Break 改 into its parts
What 改 is made of
- 己 jǐ — self
- 乚 — hook stroke
- 攵 pū — to rap
- 乂 yì — crossed strokes
- 丿 — falling stroke
- 乂 yì — crossed strokes
Origin hint: A hand with a stick 攵 disciplining a kneeling child 己 (from the Make Me a Hanzi dataset; treat as a memory aid where history is uncertain)
改 stroke order
Example sentences
请改一下这个字。Qǐng gǎi yīxià zhège zì.Please correct this character.
我们可以改时间吗？Wǒmen kěyǐ gǎi shíjiān ma?Can we change the time?
Words with 改
- 改变gǎibiànto change
- 改进gǎijìnto improve
- 改造gǎizàoto transform
- 修改xiūgǎito revise
- 改善gǎishànto improve
- 改正gǎizhèngto correct
- 改革gǎigéreform
- 改良gǎiliángto improve
Also built with 己
Quick facts
| Pinyin | gǎi |
|---|---|
| Meaning | to change; to correct |
| Strokes | 7 |
| Radical | 攴 (tap, #66) |
| Pattern | Left–right |
| HSK | HSK 4 (exam 2025) · HSK 2 (2021) |
Questions about 改
What does 改 mean?
改 (gǎi) means “to change; to correct”.
How many strokes does 改 have?
改 has 7 strokes.
What is the radical of 改?
The radical of 改 is 攴 (pū, “tap”), Kangxi radical number 66.
What parts make up 改?
改 is made of 己 (self) and 攵 (to rap).
Which HSK level is 改?
改 is in HSK 4 (exam 2025) and HSK 2 (2021).
Learn 改 with its group
It is part of HSK 2 (2021) · Group 17: a short group with quick checks and spaced repeats.