The character 以 — “by means of”: how to write it and what it means
by means of
The Chinese character 以 is read yǐ and means “by means of”. Below: the stroke order step by step, what the character is made of and the words it appears in.
Stroke order: how to write 以
以 has 4 strokes. At each step the new stroke is highlighted — write them in the same order: top to bottom and left to right, horizontal before vertical, a frame before what is inside it, and the bottom stroke of the frame last.
To train your hand, print a handwriting sheet for 以, with strokes to trace and empty squares.
Words with 以
- 可以may, canHSK 1
- 所以so, thereforeHSK 2
- 以外besides, beyondHSK 3
- 以上above, more thanHSK 3
- 以下below, less thanHSK 3
- 以前before; previouslyHSK 3
- 以后after; laterHSK 3
- 以为thought (mistakenly)HSK 3
- 以内withinHSK 4
- 以来since (until now)HSK 5
- 难以hard to (do)HSK 5
- 以及as well asHSK 5
- 以往before, in the pastHSK 6
- 以便so that, in order toHSK 6
- 以免so as not to, to avoidHSK 6
- 得以be able to, manage toHSK 6
Frequently asked questions
How do you write the character 以?
以 has 4 strokes. They follow the usual rules: top to bottom, left to right, horizontal before vertical, outside before inside. The order of each stroke is shown on this page.
What does 以 mean?
以 means “by means of”. It appears in 可以 (“may”), 所以 (“so”), 以外 (“besides”), 以上 (“above”).
How do you pronounce 以?
以 is read yǐ. The tone is part of the reading: with another melody it becomes another syllable.
How many strokes does 以 have?
4 strokes.
More characters on the page “Chinese characters with meanings” and in the list of HSK characters by level; whole words are in the dictionary.
Write 以 yourself
In the lessons you write characters stroke by stroke with a finger or a mouse, and the course checks the order. You can start for free, no sign-up needed.
Start for free