之 (zhī) - Meaning, Stroke Order, Words & Examples

Q: What does 之 (zhī) mean in Chinese?

The Chinese character 之 (zhī) means "Possessive particle, of, or it.". It is an HSK Level 4 character, with 3 strokes and the radical 丿.

Q: How do you write 之 stroke by stroke?

之 has 3 strokes. The radical is 丿. 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 之 and 丹?

之 (zhī) and 丹 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 之?

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

Q: What common words use 之?

Common words containing 之 include: 之后 (zhī hòu) — after / afterwards; 之前 (zhī qián) — before / previously; 之一 (zhī yī) — One of..

How to Write 之

The character 之 (zhī) is written with 3 strokes. Follow the standard Chinese stroke order: top to bottom, left to right, outside before inside. The radical 丿 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

之 is pronounced zhī in Mandarin Chinese. It means Possessive particle, of, or it..

As an HSK Level 4 character, 之 is an intermediate-level character.

Common Words with 之

之后 zhī hòu

after / afterwards

之前 zhī qián

before / previously

之一 zhī yī

One of.

Example Sentences

三天之后，他回来了。

sān tiān zhī hòu ， tā huí lái le 。

He came back after three days.

吃饭之前要洗手。

chī fàn zhī qián yào xǐ shǒu 。

Wash your hands before eating.

他是其中之一。

tā shì qí zhōng zhī yī

He is one of them.

Similar Characters

丹 dān

丿 piě

乂 yì

Practice Writing 之 (zhī)

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

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Frequently Asked Questions about 之

What does 之 (zhī) mean in Chinese?

How do you write 之 stroke by stroke?

What's the difference between 之 and 丹?

What mistakes do learners make writing 之?

What common words use 之?

How to Write 之 (zhī)