早 (zǎo) - Meaning, Stroke Order, Words & Examples

Q: What does 早 (zǎo) mean in Chinese?

The Chinese character 早 (zǎo) means "early; morning". It is an HSK Level 1 character, with 6 strokes and the radical 日.

Q: How do you write 早 stroke by stroke?

早 has 6 strokes. The radical is 日. 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 早 and 日?

早 (zǎo) and 日 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 早?

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

Q: What common words use 早?

Common words containing 早 include: 早上 (zǎo shàng) — morning; 早餐 (zǎo cān) — breakfast; 早起 (zǎo qǐ) — to get up early.

How to Write 早

The character 早 (zǎo) is written with 6 strokes. Follow the standard Chinese stroke order: top to bottom, left to right, outside before inside. The radical 日 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

早 is pronounced zǎo in Mandarin Chinese. It means early; morning.

As an HSK Level 1 character, 早 is among the first characters beginners learn.

Common Words with 早

早上 zǎo shàng

morning

早餐 zǎo cān

breakfast

早起 zǎo qǐ

to get up early

Example Sentences

早上好。

zǎo shàng hǎo

Good morning.

你吃早餐了吗？

nǐ chī zǎo cān le ma

Have you had breakfast?

他每天早起跑步。

tā měi tiān zǎo qǐ pǎo bù

He gets up early every day to go for a run.

Similar Characters

日 rì

旦 dàn

旧 jiù

Practice Writing 早 (zǎo)

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

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Frequently Asked Questions about 早

What does 早 (zǎo) mean in Chinese?

How do you write 早 stroke by stroke?

What's the difference between 早 and 日?

What mistakes do learners make writing 早?

What common words use 早?

How to Write 早 (zǎo)