The character 云 — “cloud”: how to write it and what it means

云
yún

cloud

4 strokes · HSK 4 · word page

The Chinese character 云 is read yún and means “cloud”. Below: the stroke order step by step, what the character is made of and the words it appears in.

Stroke order: how to write 云

云 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 云, with strokes to trace and empty squares.

What 云 is made of

A drawing of a cloud. It hints at the sound of 运 yùn.

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

Frequently asked questions

How do you write the character 云?

云 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 云 mean?

云 means “cloud”.

How do you pronounce 云?

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

How many strokes does 云 have?

4 strokes.

← 光 light夜 night →

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 云 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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