How to Write 行 (háng/xíng) — Meaning “To walk / Okay / Row”

Imagine a person walking down a straight street: the left stroke 彳 looks like a leg stepping forward, and the right part 亍 looks like two more steps. Visualize the whole character as a 'walking path' with three steps. You can also think of the shape like two 'T' shapes side by side, reminding you of 'two feet' moving.

The stroke order is: first, write the left side 彳 with a left-falling stroke (撇) and a short vertical stroke (竖), then the right side 亍 with a horizontal stroke (横), another horizontal, and finally a vertical hook (竖钩). A common mistake is making the two sides uneven—the left side should be slightly smaller, and the vertical hook on the right should be straight and not curved too much. Also, don't forget the small gap between the two horizontal strokes on the right.

行人 (xíng rén) means 'pedestrian' and is used in traffic signs or street directions. 银行 (yín háng) means 'bank' (financial institution) and is a very common word in daily life for banking. 行走 (xíng zǒu) means 'to walk' and is used in formal or written contexts, like instructions for walking paths.

行 has two main pronunciations: xíng for walking, okay, or doing (as in 不行 'not allowed'), and háng for row, line, or bank. In daily conversation, 行 alone (xíng) is often used to mean 'OK' or 'fine', like saying 'that works'. Culturally, 银行 (yín háng) is essential for business, and you may see 行人 on road signs to remind drivers to yield to pedestrians.

Common words containing 行 include: 行走 (xíng zǒu) — To walk / To go on foot; 行人 (xíng rén) — Pedestrian; 银行 (yín háng) — Bank.