How to Write 体 (tǐ) — Meaning “body; form; system”

Imagine a person (亻) standing firmly on a tree root (本) — the root supports the person just as your body supports your life. This visual of a person rooted to the ground helps you recall that 体 means 'body'.

Keep the left radical 亻 narrow and write its two strokes — left-falling stroke then a vertical line — close together. The right part 本 must have a straight vertical line through the middle, and do not forget the small dot at the bottom right after the right-falling stroke.

Though all three share the left radical 亻, the right parts differ: 体 has 本 (with a horizontal top and a dot), 仔 has 子 (like a child with a hook), and 仕 has 士 (two horizontal lines over a vertical). In meaning, 体 is about body, 仔 means 'young' or 'careful', and 仕 refers to an official or scholar.

体 appears in daily words like 身体 (body; health), 体育 (sports; physical education), and 字体 (font; style). Culturally, '身体好' is a common greeting meaning 'good health', and 体育 is a core school subject, reflecting the importance of physical well-being in Chinese society.

Common words containing 体 include: 身体 (shēn tǐ) — body; health; 体育 (tǐ yù) — sports; physical education; 字体 (zì tǐ) — font; typeface; calligraphy style.