The character 右 — “right”: how to write it and what it means

右
yòu

right

5 strokes · HSK 2 · word page

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

Stroke order: how to write 右

右 has 5 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 右, with strokes to trace and empty squares.

What 右 is made of

At the bottom, 口 “mouth”: you eat with your right hand.

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

Words with 右

Frequently asked questions

How do you write the character 右?

右 has 5 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 右 mean?

右 means “right”. It appears in 右边 (“on the right”), 左右 (“about”).

How do you pronounce 右?

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

How many strokes does 右 have?

5 strokes.

← 左 left旁 side →

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 右 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