The character 指 — “finger”: how to write it and what it means
finger; point
The Chinese character 指 is read zhǐ and means “finger; point”. Below: the stroke order step by step, what the character is made of and the words it appears in.
Stroke order: how to write 指
指 has 9 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 指, with strokes to trace and empty squares.
What 指 is made of
On the left, 扌 “hand”; on the right, 旨 zhǐ hints at the sound.
The parts of a character hint at its meaning or its reading — more in the article “Chinese character radicals”.
Words with 指
- 指出point outHSK 4
- 手指fingerHSK 5
- 指导guide, mentorHSK 5
- 指定appoint, specify (exactly)HSK 6
- 戒指ring (finger)HSK 6
- 指示instruct; directiveHSK 6
- 指责reproach, accuseHSK 6
- 指挥conduct, command; conductorHSK 6
Frequently asked questions
How do you write the character 指?
指 has 9 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 指 mean?
指 means “finger; point”. It appears in 指出 (“point out”), 手指 (“finger”), 指导 (“guide”), 指定 (“appoint”).
How do you pronounce 指?
指 is read zhǐ. The tone is part of the reading: with another melody it becomes another syllable.
How many strokes does 指 have?
9 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 指 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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