How to Write 鞋 (xié) — Meaning “Shoes”

Q: What is a good memory trick to remember 鞋?

Imagine the left part 革 as a piece of leather, and the right part 圭 as two stacked blocks (like the sole and heel of a shoe). Together, they form the idea of a leather shoe with a thick sole.

Q: Are there any special writing tips for 鞋?

Write the left radical 革 first with 9 strokes, making it slightly narrower. Then add 圭 on the right, which has 6 strokes. A common mistake is to make the two parts unbalanced, so keep the left side compact and the right side tall but not too wide.

Q: How is 鞋 different from 靳 and 靴?

鞋 means general 'shoes', while 靴 (xuē) refers to 'boots' that cover the ankle or higher. 靳 (jìn) is a rare character (often a surname) and has a different right component 斤 ('axe'). Visually, 鞋 has 圭 on the right, 靴 has 化, and 靳 has 斤.

Q: When and how is 鞋 used in modern Chinese?

鞋 is used daily for all types of footwear, like 运动鞋 (sneakers) and 皮鞋 (leather shoes). In Chinese culture, it is common to remove shoes before entering a home, and shoe size is often measured in metric units.

Q: What common words use 鞋?

Common words containing 鞋 include: 运动鞋 (yùn dòng xié) — sneakers; sports shoes; 皮鞋 (pí xié) — leather shoes; 穿鞋 (chuān xié) — Put on shoes..

xié HSK Level 2 15 strokes Radical: 革

鞋 (xié) means "Shoes" in Chinese. It has 15 strokes with the radical 革, and is HSK Level 2.

Rated 3.7/5 in difficulty (challenging).

Harder than 98% of HSK Level 2 characters.

Appears in 3+ common words including 运动鞋 (yùn dòng xié), 皮鞋 (pí xié), 穿鞋 (chuān xié).

Due to its 15 strokes, Hanzi Writer's error detection shows 鞋 requires focused practice — most learners need 10+ attempts for consistent accuracy.

Practice Writing 鞋 (xié)

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

App Store ▶ Google Play

How to Write 鞋

The character 鞋 (xié) is written with 15 strokes. Follow the standard Chinese stroke order: top to bottom, left to right, outside before inside. The radical 革 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 xié (鞋) Mean in Chinese?

鞋 means Shoes.

As an HSK Level 2 character, 鞋 is among the first characters beginners learn.

Character Data

Character	鞋
Pinyin	xié (xie)
Meaning	Shoes
Strokes	15
Radical	革
HSK Level	2
Difficulty	3.7/5

Origin of 鞋

鞋 is a semantic-phonetic compound. The left side 革 (leather/hide) indicates the material used for ancient shoes, while the right side 圭 (guì, jade tablet) originally served as a phonetic hint (though the modern pronunciation shifted to xié). Together, the character shows that shoes were traditionally made from leather.

💡 Memory Tip: Picture someone wrapping their feet in leather (革) and then standing on two stacked blocks of earth (圭) to protect their soles—those are your shoes.

Common Words with 鞋

运动鞋 yùn dòng xié

sneakers; sports shoes

皮鞋 pí xié

leather shoes

穿鞋 chuān xié

Put on shoes.

Example Sentences

我想买一双运动鞋。

wǒ xiǎng mǎi yī shuāng yùn dòng xié

I want to buy a pair of sneakers.

这双皮鞋很漂亮。

zhè shuāng pí xié hěn piào liàng

This pair of leather shoes is very beautiful.

出门前请一定要穿鞋，别光着脚在地上跑。

chū mén qián qǐng yí dìng yào chuān xié ， bié guāng zhe jiǎo zài dì shàng pǎo 。

Please make sure to wear shoes before going out; don't run on the ground barefoot.

Similar Characters Comparison

Character	Pinyin	Strokes	Radical
鞋 (current)	xié	15	革
靳	jìn	13	革
靴	xuē	13	革
靶	bǎ	13	革

Practice Writing 鞋 (xié)

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

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

App Store ▶ Google Play

Frequently Asked Questions about 鞋

What are the components of 鞋 and how do they relate to its meaning?

The character 鞋 consists of the radical 革 on the left, which means 'leather' or 'hide', and 圭 on the right, which provides the sound. Since many traditional shoes were made of leather, the radical directly connects to the meaning 'shoes'.

What is a good memory trick to remember 鞋?

Are there any special writing tips for 鞋?

How is 鞋 different from 靳 and 靴?

When and how is 鞋 used in modern Chinese?

What common words use 鞋?

How to Write 鞋 (xié) — Meaning “Shoes”

Practice Writing 鞋 (xié)

How to Write 鞋

What Does xié (鞋) Mean in Chinese?

Character Data

Origin of 鞋

Common Words with 鞋

Example Sentences

Similar Characters Comparison

Practice Writing 鞋 (xié)

Frequently Asked Questions about 鞋

More HSK Level 2 Characters

Characters with Radical 革

Other 15-Stroke Characters