苛 (kē) - Meaning, Stroke Order, Words & Examples

Q: What does 苛 (kē) mean in Chinese?

The Chinese character 苛 (kē) means "harsh / severe". with 8 strokes and the radical 艹.

Q: How do you write 苛 stroke by stroke?

苛 has 8 strokes. The radical is 艹. Follow the standard stroke order: top to bottom, left to right, outside before inside. Practice with stroke animation to build muscle memory.

Q: What's the difference between 苛 and 兹?

苛 (kē) and 兹 look similar but differ in meaning and usage. Check the radical and stroke count to tell them apart.

Q: What mistakes do learners make writing 苛?

Common mistake: incorrect stroke order or miswriting the radical 艹. Pay attention to the proportion between components — keep the radical compact.

Q: What common words use 苛?

Common words containing 苛 include: 苛刻 (kē kè) — harsh / demanding; 苛求 (kē qiú) — to make excessive demands; 苛责 (kē zé) — to criticize severely.

How to Write 苛

The character 苛 (kē) is written with 8 strokes. Follow the standard Chinese stroke order: top to bottom, left to right, outside before inside. The radical 艹 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.

Meaning & Pronunciation

苛 is pronounced kē in Mandarin Chinese. It means harsh / severe.

Common Words with 苛

苛刻 kē kè

harsh / demanding

苛求 kē qiú

to make excessive demands

苛责 kē zé

to criticize severely

Example Sentences

他的要求很苛刻。

tā de yāo qiú hěn kē kè

His requirements are very demanding.

不要苛求完美。

bú yào kē qiú wán měi

Don't demand perfection.

请不要苛责孩子。

qǐng bú yào kē zé hái zi

Please don't be too hard on the child.

Similar Characters

兹 zī

艻 lè

芄 wán

Practice Writing 苛 (kē)

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

App Store ▶ Google Play

Frequently Asked Questions about 苛

What does 苛 (kē) mean in Chinese?

How do you write 苛 stroke by stroke?

What's the difference between 苛 and 兹?

What mistakes do learners make writing 苛?

What common words use 苛?

How to Write 苛 (kē)