How to Write 扎 (zā/zhā/zhá) — Meaning “To prick, to tie, or to stay.”

Q: Can you suggest a mnemonic to remember 扎?

Imagine your hand (扌) holding a bent wire (乚) to prick a balloon, then bending the same wire into a knot to tie it. This mental image connects both the 'prick' and 'tie' meanings of 扎.

Q: What are the specific writing tips for 扎?

Write the three strokes of 扌 first (horizontal, vertical hook, lift), then finish with a single curved hook stroke (竖弯钩) for the right part. A common mistake is splitting the right part into two strokes — remember it is one continuous curve.

Q: How can I distinguish 扎 from the similar characters 扌 and 才?

扎 has an extra curved stroke (乚) on the right, while 扌 is just the hand radical and never stands alone as a character. 才 is written with a diagonal stroke (撇) instead of a curve, and means 'talent' or 'just now', completely different from 扎.

Q: In what contexts is 扎 used in modern Chinese?

扎 appears in words like 扎针 (acupuncture), 驻扎 (to station troops), and 挣扎 (to struggle). Note that the pronunciation changes: zā for tying (e.g., 扎头发), zhā for pricking (e.g., 扎针), and zhá for struggling (e.g., 挣扎).

Q: What common words use 扎?

Common words containing 扎 include: 扎针 (zhā zhēn) — To give or receive an injection or acupuncture.; 驻扎 (zhù zhā) — to station; to be quartered; 挣扎 (zhēng zhá) — struggle.

zā/zhā/zhá HSK Level 6 4 strokes Radical: 扌

扎 (zā/zhā/zhá) means "To prick, to tie, or to stay." in Chinese. It has 4 strokes with the radical 扌, and is HSK Level 6.

Rated 2.7/5 in difficulty (moderate).

Harder than 4% of HSK Level 6 characters.

Appears in 5+ common words including 扎针 (zhā zhēn), 驻扎 (zhù zhā), 挣扎 (zhēng zhá).

Hanzi Writer's stroke validation shows learners typically need 5-8 attempts to write 扎 with correct proportion and order.

Stroke order practice for 扎 - zā/zhā/zhá

Practice Writing 扎 (zā/zhā/zhá)

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

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How to Write 扎

The character 扎 (zā/zhā/zhá) is written with 4 strokes. Follow the standard Chinese stroke order: top to bottom, left to right, outside before inside. The radical 扌 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 zā/zhā/zhá (扎) Mean in Chinese?

扎 means To prick, to tie, or to stay..

This is a polyphonic character with readings: zā, zhā, zhá.

As an HSK Level 6 character, 扎 is an intermediate-level character.

Character Data

Character	扎
Pinyin	zā / zhā / zhá (za/zha)
Meaning	To prick, to tie, or to stay.
Strokes	4
Radical	扌
HSK Level	6
Difficulty	2.7/5

Origin of 扎

The left side 扌 (hand) shows this is an action, while the right side 乚 depicts a curved needle or hook. Together, they suggest the hand using a sharp object to prick or a string to tie—as in binding something with a quick, twisting motion. The meaning 'to stay' later emerged from the idea of being fixed in place, like something tied down.

💡 Memory Tip: Imagine a hand (扌) grabbing a bent hook (乚) to prick a balloon, then quickly tying the hole shut.

Common Words with 扎

扎针 zhā zhēn

To give or receive an injection or acupuncture.

驻扎 zhù zhā

to station; to be quartered

挣扎 zhēng zhá

struggle

一扎 yī zā

a bundle / a pack

捆扎 kǔn zā

to tie up; to bundle

Example Sentences

护士正在给病人扎针，动作非常轻柔。

hù shì zhèng zài gěi bìng rén zhā zhēn dòng zuò fēi cháng qīng róu

The nurse is giving the patient an injection with very gentle movements.

边防战士长期驻扎在艰苦的高原地区。

biān fáng zhàn shì cháng qī zhù zhā zài jiān kǔ de gāo yuán dì qū

Border guards have been stationed in the harsh plateau regions for a long time.

被网住的小鱼在泥滩上拼命挣扎。

bèi wǎng zhù de xiǎo yú zài ní tān shàng pīn mìng zhēng zhá

The small fish caught in the net struggled desperately on the mudflat.

他买了一扎新鲜的玫瑰花送给母亲。

tā mǎi le yī zā xīn xiān de méi guī huā sòng gěi mǔ qīn

He bought a bunch of fresh roses for his mother.

Similar Characters Comparison

Character	Pinyin	Strokes	Radical
扎 (current)	zā / zhā / zhá	4	扌
才	cái	3	扌
扑	pū	5	扌
扒	bā / pá	5	扌

Practice Writing 扎 (zā/zhā/zhá)

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

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Frequently Asked Questions about 扎

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

The character 扎 has the hand radical 扌 on the left and a bent stroke 乚 on the right. The hand radical suggests an action like tying or pricking, while the bent stroke resembles a knot or a sharp point, supporting the meanings of binding or piercing.

Can you suggest a mnemonic to remember 扎?

What are the specific writing tips for 扎?

How can I distinguish 扎 from the similar characters 扌 and 才?

In what contexts is 扎 used in modern Chinese?

What common words use 扎?

How to Write 扎 (zā/zhā/zhá) — Meaning “To prick, to tie, or to stay.”

Practice Writing 扎 (zā/zhā/zhá)

How to Write 扎

What Does zā/zhā/zhá (扎) Mean in Chinese?

Character Data

Origin of 扎

Common Words with 扎

Example Sentences

Similar Characters Comparison

Practice Writing 扎 (zā/zhā/zhá)

Frequently Asked Questions about 扎

More HSK Level 6 Characters

Characters with Radical 扌

Other 4-Stroke Characters