How to Write 志 (zhì) — Meaning “Will / ambition”

Picture a scholar (士) standing on a heart (心), symbolizing that ambition is driven by a determined heart. Imagine the scholar saying, 'I will achieve my goal!' – the top part looks like a person with two arms raised, and the bottom is the heart pumping willpower. This visual can help you link the shape to the meaning of will.

The stroke order is: horizontal, vertical, horizontal (for 士), then dot, hook, dot, dot (for 心). A common mistake is to make the bottom heart too narrow or to forget the hook after the first dot. Keep the 士 part centered above the heart, and ensure the three dots of 心 are balanced – the middle dot is slightly lower.

Unlike 志, which has 士 (scholar) on top, 必 (bì, 'must') looks like a heart with a slash through it, and 忌 (jì, 'avoid/jealousy') has 己 (self) above the heart. Visually, 志 has a flat top (士), while 必 has a diagonal line and 忌 has a curved 'self' radical. In meaning, 志 is about positive ambition, whereas 忌 warns against something or expresses envy.

志 appears in everyday words like 志向 (zhìxiàng, ambition/goal), 意志 (yìzhì, willpower), and 志愿者 (zhìyuànzhě, volunteer). It carries a positive, inspirational tone – for example, the proverb '有志者事竟成' means 'where there's a will, there's a way.' You will often see it in motivational contexts, such as career goals or personal determination.

Common words containing 志 include: 志向 (zhì xiàng) — Ambition / goal; 意志 (yì zhì) — will / willpower; 志愿者 (zhì yuàn zhě) — Volunteer.