How to Write 造 (zào) — Meaning “to make”

Imagine you are "making" a sentence (造句) by walking (辶) to a stage and telling (告) a story. The walking radical shows the action, and 告 reminds you of speaking or reporting, which connects to creating something new.

Write the inner part 告 first (strokes: top horizontal, then the 牛 shape, then 口), and finish with the radical 辶 in three strokes. A common mistake is making the 辶 too narrow—the bottom left part should extend slightly under the 告 to balance the character.

All three share the radical 辶, but 造 means "to make" and uses 告, while 迢 (tiáo) means "distant" with 召, and 迤 (yǐ) means "winding" with 也. Their right components give them completely different meanings, so focus on the inner part to tell them apart.

造 appears in common HSK 3 words like 制造 (to manufacture), 创造 (to create), and 造句 (to make a sentence). It is used in both everyday talk and formal contexts—for example, factories 制造 products, and artists 创造 art. The character emphasizes the act of bringing something into existence.

Common words containing 造 include: 制造 (zhì zào) — To manufacture / To create.; 造句 (zào jù) — to make a sentence; 创造 (chuàng zào) — create / produce.