How to Write 以 (yǐ) — Meaning “with; by; in order to”

Picture the left side as a person (人) leaning forward, and the right side as their arm pointing forward, like they are using a tool to point or reach a goal. This image can remind you that 以 means 'with,' 'by,' or 'in order to' — the person is using something to act. The two strokes of the right side look like a flag or a marker, reinforcing the idea of direction or purpose.

Stroke order: first, write a left-falling stroke (丿) on the left; second, a horizontal stroke (一) from left to right; third, a right-falling stroke (捺) that curves down; finally, a small dot (点) on the right side. A common mistake is placing the dot too high or too low — it should sit near the middle of the right curve. Keep the left part narrow and the right part wider for balanced proportions.

The character 人 (rén) is a standalone word for 'person' and has only two strokes (left-falling and right-falling), while 亻 is a two-stroke radical used on the left of characters like 他. In contrast, 以 has four strokes and includes a horizontal stroke and a dot, and its left part is not a separate radical but part of the whole character. Visually, 以's left side looks like a person with a horizontal line, unlike the simple lines of 人 or 亻.

以 is very common in modern Chinese, especially in time expressions like 以后 (after) and 以前 (before), and in the modal verb 可以 (can). It also means 'by means of' or 'in order to' in formal writing, linking an action to its purpose. Culturally, 以 appears in many classical Chinese texts and idioms, making it an essential character for understanding both everyday and literary Chinese.

Common words containing 以 include: 以后 (yǐ hòu) — after; later; in the future; 以前 (yǐ qián) — before; previously; in the past; 可以 (kě yǐ) — can; may.