The character 状 — “form”: how to write it and what it means
form, state
The Chinese character 状 is read zhuàng and means “form, state”. Below: the stroke order step by step, what the character is made of and the words it appears in.
Stroke order: how to write 状
状 has 7 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 状, with strokes to trace and empty squares.
What 状 is made of
On the right, 犬 “dog”: originally a dog's appearance. On the left, 丬, as in 壮 zhuàng: a hint at the reading.
The parts of a character hint at its meaning or its reading — more in the article “Chinese character radicals”.
Words with 状
- 状态state, conditionHSK 5
- 状况condition, state of affairsHSK 5
- 形状shapeHSK 5
- 现状current situationHSK 5
- 症状symptomHSK 6
Frequently asked questions
How do you write the character 状?
状 has 7 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 状 mean?
状 means “form, state”. It appears in 状态 (“state”), 状况 (“condition”), 形状 (“shape”), 现状 (“current situation”).
How do you pronounce 状?
状 is read zhuàng. The tone is part of the reading: with another melody it becomes another syllable.
How many strokes does 状 have?
7 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 状 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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