The character 索 — “search”: how to write it and what it means

索
suǒ

search; rope

10 strokes · HSK 5

The Chinese character 索 is read suǒ and means “search; rope”. Below: the stroke order step by step, what the character is made of and the words it appears in.

Stroke order: how to write 索

索 has 10 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 索, with strokes to trace and empty squares.

What 索 is made of

Below, 糸 “thread”: the first meaning is a thick rope.

The parts of a character hint at its meaning or its reading — more in the article “Chinese character radicals”.

Words with 索

Frequently asked questions

How do you write the character 索?

索 has 10 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 索 mean?

索 means “search; rope”. It appears in 搜索 (“search”), 探索 (“explore”), 线索 (“clue”).

How do you pronounce 索?

索 is read suǒ. The tone is part of the reading: with another melody it becomes another syllable.

How many strokes does 索 have?

10 strokes.

← 搜 search浏 part of the word “browse” →

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 索 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