The character 则 — “rule”: how to write it and what it means
rule; then
The Chinese character 则 is read zé and means “rule; then”. Below: the stroke order step by step, what the character is made of and the words it appears in.
Stroke order: how to write 则
则 has 6 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 则, with strokes to trace and empty squares.
Words with 则
Frequently asked questions
How do you write the character 则?
则 has 6 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 则 mean?
则 means “rule; then”. It appears in 否则 (“otherwise”), 规则 (“rule”), 原则 (“principle”).
How do you pronounce 则?
则 is read zé. The tone is part of the reading: with another melody it becomes another syllable.
How many strokes does 则 have?
6 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 则 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.
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