How to Write 四 (sì) — Meaning “Four.”

Picture a square box (like the radical 囗) with the number 4 written inside it. The box has four sides, and the inner shape reminds you of the digit 4, so you remember it means "four." This simple visual mnemonic makes the character easy to recall.

The correct stroke order is: draw the left vertical, then the top horizontal, then the inner left-falling stroke, then the inner right-falling stroke, and finally the bottom horizontal to close the box. A common mistake is making the inner strokes too large or touching the top, so keep them centered and smaller than the outer box.

The character 四 has a box with two diagonal strokes inside, meaning "four." In contrast, 囗 is just an empty box radical (not a standalone character), and 囚 has a person radical inside, meaning "prisoner" or "imprison." Visually, 四's inner strokes are distinct, and its meaning is purely the number four.

四 is used for the number four in counting, dates (like 四月 for April), and expressions such as 四季 (four seasons). Culturally, the number four is often avoided because it sounds like the word for death (死), so some buildings skip floor 4 or use "F" instead, similar to Western avoidance of the number 13.

Common words containing 四 include: 四个 (sì gè) — Four (items).; 四季 (sì jì) — Four seasons.; 四月 (sì yuè) — April..