The character 已 — “already”: how to write it and what it means
already
The Chinese character 已 is read yǐ and means “already”. Below: the stroke order step by step, what the character is made of and the words it appears in.
Stroke order: how to write 已
已 has 3 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 已, with strokes to trace and empty squares.
What 已 is made of
Don't confuse it with 己 “oneself”: in 已 the left stroke rises higher.
The parts of a character hint at its meaning or its reading — more in the article “Chinese character radicals”.
Words with 已
Frequently asked questions
How do you write the character 已?
已 has 3 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 已 mean?
已 means “already”. It appears in 已经 (“already”), 早已 (“long ago”), 不已 (“endlessly”).
How do you pronounce 已?
已 is read yǐ. The tone is part of the reading: with another melody it becomes another syllable.
How many strokes does 已 have?
3 strokes.
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 已 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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