自
自 (zì) means “from”. It is made of 目 and has 6 strokes, and is an HSK 4 word in the current exam syllabus (2025).
Break 自 into its parts
What 自 is made of
- 目 mù — eye
- 口 kǒu — mouth
- 冂 — frame
- 一 — horizontal stroke
- 二 — two strokes
- 一 — horizontal stroke
- 一 — horizontal stroke
- 口 kǒu — mouth
Origin hint: A nose; in China, people refer to themselves by pointing to their noses (from the Make Me a Hanzi dataset; treat as a memory aid where history is uncertain)
自 stroke order
Example sentences
这些学生来自不同的国家。Zhèxiē xuésheng láizì bùtóng de guójiā.These students come from different countries.
你来自哪个国家？Nǐ láizì nǎgè guójiā?Which country are you from?
Words with 自
- 大自然dàzìránnature (the natural world)
- 来自láizìto come from
- 自己zìjǐoneself
- 自行车zìxíngchēbicycle
- 自由zìyóufreedom
- 各自gèzìeach
- 亲自qīnzìpersonally
- 自从zìcóngsince
- 自动zìdòngautomatic
- 自觉zìjuéself-disciplined
- 自然zìránnature
- 自身zìshēnoneself
- 自主zìzhǔindependent
- 独自dúzìalone
- 自信zìxìnconfident
- 自豪zìháoproud
- 自私zìsīselfish
- 自愿zìyuànvoluntary
- 擅自shànzìwithout permission
- 私自sīzìprivately
- 自卑zìbēito feel inferior
- 自发zìfāspontaneous
- 自力更生zìlìgēngshēngself-reliance
- 自满zìmǎncomplacent
- 自习zìxíto study on one's own
- 自学zìxuéto teach oneself
Also built with 目
- 具jùtool
- 冒màoto risk
- 泪lèitears
- 盯dīngto stare at
- 盲mángblind
- 直zhístraight
- 相xiāngmutual
- 盼pànto look
- 省shěngto save
- 眉méieyebrows
- 看kànto look
- 眠miánsleep
Quick facts
| Pinyin | zì |
|---|---|
| Meaning | from; self |
| Strokes | 6 |
| Radical | 自 (self, #132) |
| Pattern | Overlapping |
| HSK | HSK 4 (exam 2025) · HSK 4 (2021) |
Questions about 自
What does 自 mean?
自 (zì) means “from; self”.
How many strokes does 自 have?
自 has 6 strokes.
What is the radical of 自?
The radical of 自 is 自 (zì, “self”), Kangxi radical number 132.
What parts make up 自?
自 is made of 目 (eye).
Which HSK level is 自?
自 is in HSK 4 (exam 2025) and HSK 4 (2021).
Learn 自 with its group
It is part of HSK 4 (2021) · Group 87: a short group with quick checks and spaced repeats.