How to Write 纸 (zhǐ) — Meaning “paper”

Think of a sheet of paper as a 'silk sheet' — the left radical 纟 means silk or fiber, and the right part 氏 looks like a folded sheet. This reminds you that paper is made from fibers.

Write the left radical 纟 first (3 strokes), making it narrow. The right part 氏 has 4 strokes: start with a left-falling stroke, then a vertical-rising, a horizontal, and finally a long slanting hook at the bottom. A common mistake is adding an extra dot on the right, which is incorrect.

纸 has the right side 氏, while 纠 has 丩 and 纡 has 于. Visually, 纸 ends with a slanting hook, 纠 has a twisted knot-like shape, and 纡 has a simple vertical hook. In meaning, 纸 means paper, 纠 means to correct or entangle, and 纡 means circuitous or winding.

纸 is a common noun meaning paper, used in everyday words like 报纸 (newspaper), 纸巾 (tissue), and 白纸 (blank paper). Culturally, paper was one of China's Four Great Inventions, and this character reflects its long history in writing and printing.

Common words containing 纸 include: 报纸 (bào zhǐ) — newspaper; 纸巾 (zhǐ jīn) — tissue; paper towel; 白纸 (bái zhǐ) — white paper.