惜 (xī) - Meaning, Stroke Order, Words & Examples

Q: What does 惜 (xī) mean in Chinese?

The Chinese character 惜 (xī) means "to cherish; to pity". It is an HSK Level 5 character, with 11 strokes and the radical 忄.

Q: How do you write 惜 stroke by stroke?

惜 has 11 strokes. The radical is 忄. 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 惜 and 恂?

惜 (xī) and 恂 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 惜?

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

Q: What common words use 惜?

Common words containing 惜 include: 可惜 (kě xī) — it's a pity; unfortunately; 珍惜 (zhēn xī) — To cherish; to treasure; 爱惜 (ài xī) — To cherish / To treasure.

How to Write 惜

The character 惜 (xī) is written with 11 strokes. Follow the standard Chinese stroke order: top to bottom, left to right, outside before inside. The radical 忄 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

惜 is pronounced xī in Mandarin Chinese. It means to cherish; to pity.

As an HSK Level 5 character, 惜 is an intermediate-level character.

Common Words with 惜

可惜 kě xī

it's a pity; unfortunately

珍惜 zhēn xī

To cherish; to treasure

爱惜 ài xī

To cherish / To treasure

Example Sentences

没去成真的很可惜。

méi qù chéng zhēn de hěn kě xī

It's a real pity that I couldn't go.

我们要珍惜时间。

wǒ men yào zhēn xī shí jiān

We should cherish time.

请爱惜公共财物。

qǐng ài xī gōng gòng cái wù

Please take care of public property.

Similar Characters

恂 xún

恃 shì

恍 huǎng

Practice Writing 惜 (xī)

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

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Frequently Asked Questions about 惜

What does 惜 (xī) mean in Chinese?

How do you write 惜 stroke by stroke?

What's the difference between 惜 and 恂?

What mistakes do learners make writing 惜?

What common words use 惜?

How to Write 惜 (xī)