The character 建 — “build”: how to write it and what it means
build; found
The Chinese character 建 is read jiàn and means “build; found”. Below: the stroke order step by step, what the character is made of and the words it appears in.
Stroke order: how to write 建
建 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 建, with strokes to trace and empty squares.
What 建 is made of
It hints at the sound of 健 jiàn and 键 jiàn.
The parts of a character hint at its meaning or its reading — more in the article “Chinese character radicals”.
Words with 建
- 建议suggest; suggestionHSK 4
- 建设build; constructionHSK 5
- 建立establish, set upHSK 5
- 建筑building; architectureHSK 5
- 建造build, constructHSK 5
- 修建build (roads, bridges)HSK 5
- 重建rebuild, reconstructHSK 6
- 创建create, found (for the first time)HSK 6
- 建筑物building, structureHSK 6
Frequently asked questions
How do you write the character 建?
建 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 建 mean?
建 means “build; found”. It appears in 建议 (“suggest”), 建设 (“build”), 建立 (“establish”), 建筑 (“building”).
How do you pronounce 建?
建 is read jiàn. The tone is part of the reading: with another melody it becomes another syllable.
How many strokes does 建 have?
8 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 建 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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