正
正 (zhèng) means “straight”. It is made of 一 + 止 and has 5 strokes, and is an HSK 2 word in the current exam syllabus (2025).
Break 正 into its parts
What 正 is made of
- 一 — horizontal stroke
- 止 zhǐ — to stop
- 上 shàng — up
- ⺊ — structural part
- 一 — horizontal stroke
- 丨 — vertical stroke
- 上 shàng — up
Origin hint: A foot 止 stopping in the right place 一 (from the Make Me a Hanzi dataset; treat as a memory aid where history is uncertain)
正 stroke order
Example sentences
这张画挂得不正。Zhè zhāng huà guà de bù zhèng.This picture isn't hanging straight.
请坐正。Qǐng zuò zhèng.Please sit up straight.
Words with 正
- 正在zhèngzàiin the process of
- 真正zhēnzhèngreal
- 正常zhèngchángnormal
- 正好zhènghǎojust right
- 正确zhèngquècorrect
- 正是zhèngshìto be exactly
- 反正fǎnzhènganyway
- 正式zhèngshìformal
- 改正gǎizhèngto correct
- 端正duānzhèngupright
- 更正gēngzhèngto correct
- 公正gōngzhèngfair
- 纠正jiūzhèngto correct
- 正月Zhēngyuèfirst month of the lunar year
- 正当zhèngdànglegitimate
- 正负zhèngfùpositive and negative
- 正规zhèngguīregular
- 正经zhèngjingserious
- 正气zhèngqìintegrity
- 正义zhèngyìjustice
- 正宗zhèngzōngauthentic
Also built with 一
- 七qīseven
- 万wànten thousand
- 丈zhànggentleman
- 三sānthree
- 上shàngon
- 下xiàdown
- 不bùnot
- 与yǔand
- 专zhuānconcentrated
- 且qiěmoreover
- 丘qiūmound
- 丙bǐngthird
Quick facts
| Pinyin | zhèng |
|---|---|
| Meaning | straight; upright; right; just |
| Strokes | 5 |
| Radical | 止 (stop, #77) |
| Pattern | Top–bottom |
| HSK | HSK 2 (exam 2025) · HSK 3 (2021) · Old HSK 5 |
Questions about 正
What does 正 mean?
正 (zhèng) means “straight; upright; right; just”.
How many strokes does 正 have?
正 has 5 strokes.
What is the radical of 正?
The radical of 正 is 止 (zhǐ, “stop”), Kangxi radical number 77.
What parts make up 正?
正 is made of 一 (horizontal stroke) and 止 (to stop).
Which HSK level is 正?
正 is in HSK 2 (exam 2025) and HSK 3 (2021) and Old HSK 5.
Learn 正 with its group
It is part of HSK 1 (2021) · Group 27: a short group with quick checks and spaced repeats.