How to Write 汊 (chà) — Meaning “branch (of a river)”

Q: What is a good memory trick to remember 汊?

Imagine a river (氵) that splits into two paths like a fork (叉) in the road. The visual of a forked river will help you link 汊 to the meaning "branch of a river."

Q: How should I write 汊 correctly?

Write the left radical 氵 first with three dots (order: dot, dot, upward flick), then the right part 叉: start with the horizontal hook, then the dot in the upper left, then the final long stroke (捺). Be careful that the right side is not too wide; balance both sides evenly.

Q: What common words use 汊?

Common words containing 汊 include: 河汊 (hé chà) — river branch; distributary; 汊口 (chà kǒu) — river junction / fork in a river; 汊流 (chà liú) — tributary / branch stream.

chà 6 strokes Radical: 氵

汊 (chà) means "branch (of a river)" in Chinese. It has 6 strokes with the radical 氵.

Rated 3.2/5 in difficulty (challenging).

Appears in 3+ common words including 河汊 (hé chà), 汊口 (chà kǒu), 汊流 (chà liú).

Due to its 6 strokes, Hanzi Writer's error detection shows 汊 requires focused practice — most learners need 10+ attempts for consistent accuracy.

Practice Writing 汊 (chà)

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How to Write 汊

The character 汊 (chà) is written with 6 strokes. Follow the standard Chinese stroke order: top to bottom, left to right, outside before inside. The radical 氵 is one of its key components.

Practice the correct stroke order with the Hanzi Writer app to see animated stroke-by-stroke guidance with real-time feedback.

What Does chà (汊) Mean in Chinese?

汊 means branch (of a river).

Character Data

Character	汊
Pinyin	chà (cha)
Meaning	branch (of a river)
Strokes	6
Radical	氵
Difficulty	3.2/5

Origin of 汊

汊 is a phono-semantic compound: the radical 氵indicates water (river), and the component 叉 (chā) both suggests the sound *chà and visually depicts a fork or branching shape. Together, they represent a river that splits into two or more branches, like a water fork.

💡 Memory Tip: Imagine a river (氵) that reaches a fork (叉) in the road, splitting into two smaller streams—that's a river branch (汊).

Common Words with 汊

河汊 hé chà

river branch; distributary

汊口 chà kǒu

river junction / fork in a river

汊流 chà liú

tributary / branch stream

Example Sentences

这里有很多小河汊。

zhè lǐ yǒu hěn duō xiǎo hé chà

There are many small river branches here.

小船停在汊口。

xiǎo chuán tíng zài chà kǒu

The small boat is moored at the river fork.

汊流的水很清。

chà liú de shuǐ hěn qīng

The water in the branch stream is very clear.

Similar Characters Comparison

Character	Pinyin	Strokes	Radical
汊 (current)	chà	6	氵
㳄	xián	7	氵
氿	guǐ	5	氵
汀	tīng	5	氵

Practice Writing 汊 (chà)

Open Hanzi Writer to see the animated stroke order and practice writing 汊 with real-time feedback.

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Frequently Asked Questions about 汊

What is the structure of 汊 and how does it relate to its meaning?

汊 is composed of the water radical 氵on the left and the phonetic component 叉 (chà, meaning "fork") on the right. The water radical suggests the meaning relates to water or rivers, while 叉 indicates a fork or branch, together forming the idea of a river branch.

What is a good memory trick to remember 汊?

How should I write 汊 correctly?

How is 汊 different from similar characters like 㳄 and 氿?

When is 汊 used in modern Chinese?

What common words use 汊?

How to Write 汊 (chà) — Meaning “branch (of a river)”

Practice Writing 汊 (chà)

How to Write 汊

What Does chà (汊) Mean in Chinese?

Character Data

Origin of 汊

Common Words with 汊

Example Sentences

Similar Characters Comparison

Practice Writing 汊 (chà)

Frequently Asked Questions about 汊

Characters with Radical 氵

Other 6-Stroke Characters