How to Write 武 (wǔ) — Meaning “Martial / Military”

Q: What is a good memory trick to remember the character 武?

Picture a warrior raising a halberd (戈) and shouting "Stop!" (止) to prevent a fight. The two parts visually combine into the idea of martial power used to keep peace.

Q: What should I watch out for when writing 武?

The most important detail is the curved hook and dot in the 戈 part – do not write it as a straight line. Also, note that the top part 止 is written with five strokes, and the whole character has exactly 8 strokes total.

Q: How can I tell 武 apart from the similar characters 此 and 步?

武 contains the weapon radical 戈, while 此 has 匕 (a dagger) instead, and 步 has 少 (few) with an extra dot. In meaning, 武 is about military, 此 means 'this', and 步 means 'step' or 'walk'.

Q: When and how is 武 used in modern Chinese, and what cultural notes relate to it?

武 appears in common words like 武术 (martial arts) and 武器 (weapon). Culturally, it pairs with 文 (civil) in the phrase 文武, which represents the ideal balance of scholarly and military skills in traditional Chinese society.

Q: What common words use 武?

Common words containing 武 include: 武术 (wǔ shù) — Martial arts; 武器 (wǔ qì) — Weapon; 文武 (wén wǔ) — Civil and military.

wǔ HSK Level 3 8 strokes Radical: 止

武 (wǔ) means "Martial / Military" in Chinese. It has 8 strokes with the radical 止, and is HSK Level 3.

Rated 3.7/5 in difficulty (challenging).

Harder than 51% of HSK Level 3 characters.

Appears in 3+ common words including 武术 (wǔ shù), 武器 (wǔ qì), 文武 (wén wǔ).

Due to its 8 strokes, Hanzi Writer's error detection shows 武 requires focused practice — most learners need 10+ attempts for consistent accuracy.

Practice Writing 武 (wǔ)

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

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How to Write 武

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

What Does wǔ (武) Mean in Chinese?

武 means Martial / Military.

As an HSK Level 3 character, 武 is an intermediate-level character.

Character Data

Character	武
Pinyin	wǔ (wu)
Meaning	Martial / Military
Strokes	8
Radical	止
HSK Level	3
Difficulty	3.7/5

Origin of 武

武 combines 止 (to stop) and 戈 (spear/dagger-axe), originally depicting a person marching with a weapon—suggesting the dual sense of 'martial' as both armed force and the ability to stop violence. The character's ancient form showed a foot (止) advancing toward or away from a halberd (戈), later simplified into the modern shape.

💡 Memory Tip: Picture a martial arts master using a spear (戈) to block an enemy's foot (止)—stopping the attack with weaponry.

Common Words with 武

武术 wǔ shù

Martial arts

武器 wǔ qì

Weapon

文武 wén wǔ

Civil and military

Example Sentences

他从小学习武术。

tā cóng xiǎo xué xí wǔ shù

He has been studying martial arts since he was a child.

这是古代的武器。

zhè shì gǔ dài de wǔ qì

This is an ancient weapon.

他是一个文武双全的人。

tā shì yí gè wén wǔ shuāng quán de rén

He is a person adept in both scholarly and martial arts.

Similar Characters Comparison

Character	Pinyin	Strokes	Radical
武 (current)	wǔ	8	止
此	cǐ	6	止
步	bù	7	止
歧	qí	8	止

Practice Writing 武 (wǔ)

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

✨ Animated stroke order · Handwriting recognition · HSK-graded practice · Free to use

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Frequently Asked Questions about 武

How is the character 武 structured, and what do its components mean?

武 is made of 止 (meaning 'stop') on top and 戈 (meaning 'halberd' or 'weapon') below. Together, they suggest the idea of stopping conflict with military force, which explains its meaning 'martial' or 'military'.

What is a good memory trick to remember the character 武?

What should I watch out for when writing 武?

How can I tell 武 apart from the similar characters 此 and 步?

When and how is 武 used in modern Chinese, and what cultural notes relate to it?

What common words use 武?

How to Write 武 (wǔ) — Meaning “Martial / Military”

Practice Writing 武 (wǔ)

How to Write 武

What Does wǔ (武) Mean in Chinese?

Character Data

Origin of 武

Common Words with 武

Example Sentences

Similar Characters Comparison

Practice Writing 武 (wǔ)

Frequently Asked Questions about 武

More HSK Level 3 Characters

Characters with Radical 止

Other 8-Stroke Characters