最
最 (zuì) means “most”. It is made of 日 + 取 and has 12 strokes, and is an HSK 2 word in the current exam syllabus (2025).
Break 最 into its parts
What 最 is made of
- 日 rì — sun; day
- 口 kǒu — mouth
- 冂 — frame
- 一 — horizontal stroke
- 一 — horizontal stroke
- 口 kǒu — mouth
- 取 qǔ — to take
- 耳 ěr — ear
- 二 — two strokes
- 又 yòu — and
- 耳 ěr — ear
Origin hint: To take place 取 under the sun 日 (that is, everywhere) (from the Make Me a Hanzi dataset; treat as a memory aid where history is uncertain)
最 stroke order
Example sentences
我最喜欢吃苹果。Wǒ zuì xǐhuan chī píngguǒ.I like apples the most.
谁跑得最快？Shéi pǎo de zuì kuài?Who runs the fastest?
Words with 最
Also built with 日
- 冒màoto risk
- 旦dàndawn
- 旧jiùold
- 旨zhǐaim
- 早zǎoearly
- 旬xúnten-day period
- 旱hàndry
- 时shítime
- 旷kuàngbroad
- 旺wàngto flourish
- 昂ángto rise
- 昆kūnelder brother
Quick facts
| Pinyin | zuì |
|---|---|
| Meaning | most; -est |
| Strokes | 12 |
| Radical | 曰 (say, #73) |
| Pattern | Top–bottom |
| HSK | HSK 2 (exam 2025) · HSK 1 (2021) · Old HSK 2 |
Questions about 最
What does 最 mean?
最 (zuì) means “most; -est”.
How many strokes does 最 have?
最 has 12 strokes.
What is the radical of 最?
The radical of 最 is 曰 (yuē, “say”), Kangxi radical number 73.
What parts make up 最?
最 is made of 日 (sun; day) and 取 (to take).
Which HSK level is 最?
最 is in HSK 2 (exam 2025) and HSK 1 (2021) and Old HSK 2.
Learn 最 with its group
It is part of HSK 1 (2021) · Group 43: a short group with quick checks and spaced repeats.