The character 练 — “train”: how to write it and what it means

练
liàn

train, practice

8 strokes · HSK 3 · word page

The Chinese character 练 is read liàn and means “train, practice”. Below: the stroke order step by step, what the character is made of and the words it appears in.

Stroke order: how to write 练

练 has 8 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 练, with strokes to trace and empty squares.

What 练 is made of

On the left, 纟 “thread”.

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

Words with 练

Frequently asked questions

How do you write the character 练?

练 has 8 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 练 mean?

练 means “train, practice”. It appears in 练习 (“exercise”), 教练 (“coach”), 熟练 (“skilled”), 训练 (“train”).

How do you pronounce 练?

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

How many strokes does 练 have?

8 strokes.

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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 练 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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