The character 伸 — “stretch out”: how to write it and what it means

伸
shēn

stretch out, extend

7 strokes · HSK 5 · word page

The Chinese character 伸 is read shēn and means “stretch out, extend”. Below: the stroke order step by step, what the character is made of and the words it appears in.

Stroke order: how to write 伸

伸 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 伸, with strokes to trace and empty squares.

What 伸 is made of

On the left, 亻 “person”; on the right, 申 shēn hints at the reading.

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

Words with 伸

Frequently asked questions

How do you write the character 伸?

伸 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 伸 mean?

伸 means “stretch out, extend”. It appears in 延伸 (“stretch”).

How do you pronounce 伸?

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

How many strokes does 伸 have?

7 strokes.

← 拆 take apart握 hold →

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 伸 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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