How to Write 柒 (qī) — Meaning “Seven (formal/financial version of 七).”

Imagine a wooden tree (木) standing above the number seven (七) to protect it from being changed on a check. The tree’s trunk and branches cover the seven, reminding you that this character is the secure, formal version. The extra horizontal stroke in the middle acts like a lock on the seven.

First write the top part like the character 木: horizontal stroke, vertical stroke, left-falling stroke, then dot. Then below, write a horizontal stroke, a vertical hook, and finally a small horizontal stroke to complete the 七-like bottom. A common mistake is making the bottom too similar to 七 — remember the extra horizontal stroke in the middle of the bottom part.

柒 has 9 strokes and contains the number 七, while 杆 (pole) has 7 strokes with 干, and 杈 (branch) has 7 strokes with 叉. They all share the 木 radical, but the lower part is different: 柒 uses a modified 七, 杆 uses 干 (work), and 杈 uses 叉 (fork). The meaning of 柒 is only for the number seven, never for wood or trees.

柒 is the formal or financial version of the number seven, used on bank checks, contracts, and invoices to prevent forgery or alteration. It is part of the set of ‘capital numerals’ (like 壹 for 一 and 贰 for 二). You will not see 柒 in everyday writing; it appears only in official or legal documents.

Common words containing 柒 include: 柒佰 (qī bǎi) — Seven hundred (formal).; 柒仟 (qī qiān) — Seven thousand (formal).; 柒万 (qī wàn) — Seventy thousand (formal)..