西
西 (xī) means “west”. It is made of 兀 + 囗 and has 6 strokes, and is an HSK 3 word in the current exam syllabus (2025).
Break 西 into its parts
What 西 is made of
- 兀 wù — weak
- 一 — horizontal stroke
- 儿 ér — child
- 丿 — falling stroke
- 乚 — hook stroke
- 囗 wéi — enclosure
- 冂 — frame
- 丨 — vertical stroke
- 一 — horizontal stroke
- 冂 — frame
Origin hint: A bird settling into its nest, representing sunset; compare 東 (from the Make Me a Hanzi dataset; treat as a memory aid where history is uncertain)
西 stroke order
Example sentences
医院在学校西面。Yīyuàn zài xuéxiào xīmiàn.The hospital is west of the school.
西门在哪儿？Xīmén zài nǎr?Where is the west gate?
Words with 西
- 东西dōngxithing
- 西边xībiānwest side
- 西北xīběinorthwest
- 西餐xīcānWestern food
- 西方xīfāngthe West
- 西南xīnánsouthwest
- 西医xīyīWestern medicine
- 西部xībùthe west
- 西瓜xīguāwatermelon
- 西红柿xīhóngshìtomato
- 东张西望dōngzhāngxīwàngto look around
Also built with 兀
Quick facts
| Pinyin | xī |
|---|---|
| Meaning | west |
| Strokes | 6 |
| Radical | 襾 (west, #146) |
| Pattern | Overlapping |
| HSK | HSK 3 (exam 2025) · HSK 1 (2021) · Old HSK 3 |
Questions about 西
What does 西 mean?
西 (xī) means “west”.
How many strokes does 西 have?
西 has 6 strokes.
What is the radical of 西?
The radical of 西 is 襾 (yà, “west”), Kangxi radical number 146.
What parts make up 西?
西 is made of 兀 (weak) and 囗 (enclosure).
Which HSK level is 西?
西 is in HSK 3 (exam 2025) and HSK 1 (2021) and Old HSK 3.
Learn 西 with its group
It is part of HSK 1 (2021) · Group 39: a short group with quick checks and spaced repeats.