书 (shū) - Meaning, Stroke Order, Words & Examples

Q: What does 书 (shū) mean in Chinese?

The Chinese character 书 (shū) means "Book". It is an HSK Level 1 character, with 4 strokes and the radical 丨.

Q: How do you write 书 stroke by stroke?

书 has 4 strokes. The radical is 丨. 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 书 and 丩?

书 (shū) and 丩 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 书?

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

Q: What common words use 书?

Common words containing 书 include: 看书 (kàn shū) — to read a book; 书店 (shū diàn) — Bookstore; 书包 (shū bāo) — Schoolbag.

How to Write 书

The character 书 (shū) is written with 4 strokes. Follow the standard Chinese stroke order: top to bottom, left to right, outside before inside. The radical 丨 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

书 is pronounced shū in Mandarin Chinese. It means Book.

As an HSK Level 1 character, 书 is among the first characters beginners learn.

Common Words with 书

看书 kàn shū

to read a book

书店 shū diàn

Bookstore

书包 shū bāo

Schoolbag

Example Sentences

我喜欢在图书馆看书。

wǒ xǐ huān zài tú shū guǎn kàn shū

I like reading books in the library.

我们去书店买几本书吧。

wǒ men qù shū diàn mǎi jǐ běn shū ba

Let's go to the bookstore to buy some books.

他的书包里有很多课本。

tā de shū bāo lǐ yǒu hěn duō kè běn

There are many textbooks in his schoolbag.

Similar Characters

丩 jiū

个 ge

丫 yā

Practice Writing 书 (shū)

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

App Store ▶ Google Play

Frequently Asked Questions about 书

What does 书 (shū) mean in Chinese?

How do you write 书 stroke by stroke?

What's the difference between 书 and 丩?

What mistakes do learners make writing 书?

What common words use 书?

How to Write 书 (shū)