How to Write 州 (zhōu) — Meaning “State / Province / Prefecture”

Imagine three small islands (dots) in a river (the vertical strokes). Each island is a state or province, so the three dots remind you that 州 means state or province.

Write 州 with six strokes: dot, vertical, dot, vertical, dot, vertical, from left to right. Keep the dots small and centered above each vertical line, and space the three vertical lines evenly so the character looks balanced.

广州 (Guǎngzhōu) is the city Guangzhou, 杭州 (Hángzhōu) is Hangzhou, and 州长 (zhōuzhǎng) means governor of a state. These are used for city names and official titles in administrative contexts.

Modern Chinese uses 州 mainly in place names (e.g., Guangzhou, Suzhou) and to refer to foreign states like California (加利福尼亚州). Culturally, many Chinese cities end with 州 because they were once administrative centers on rivers, reflecting its ancient meaning.

Common words containing 州 include: 广州 (guǎng zhōu) — Guangzhou (a city in China); 杭州 (háng zhōu) — Hangzhou (a city in China); 州长 (zhōu zhǎng) — Governor (of a state).