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How to Write 兹 (zī) — Meaning “This; now; hereby (formal)”

HSK Level 7 9 strokes Radical: 艹

兹 (zī) means "This; now; hereby (formal)" in Chinese. It has 9 strokes with the radical 艹, and is HSK Level 7.

Rated 3.7/5 in difficulty (challenging).

Harder than 23% of HSK Level 7 characters.

Appears in 3+ common words including 兹定于 (zī dìng yú), 兹有 (zī yǒu), 今兹 (jīn zī).

Due to its 9 strokes, Hanzi Writer's error detection shows 兹 requires focused practice — most learners need 10+ attempts for consistent accuracy.

Stroke order practice for 兹 - zī

Practice Writing 兹 (zī)

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

The character (zī) is written with 9 strokes. Follow the standard Chinese stroke order: top to bottom, left to right, outside before inside. The radical 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.

means This; now; hereby (formal).

As an HSK Level 7 character, is an intermediate-level character.

Character
Pinyinzī (zi)
MeaningThis; now; hereby (formal)
Strokes9
Radical
HSK Level7
Difficulty3.7/5

Originally a pictograph of two intertwined silk threads (丝), the character 兹 was borrowed to mean 'this' or 'now'. Later, the grass radical 艹 was added, possibly to distinguish it from other uses, but the core form still hints at threads weaving together the present moment.

💡 Memory Tip: Imagine two blades of grass (艹) twining like silk (丝) to form a knot that says 'this very now'.

zī dìng yú
It is hereby scheduled for...
zī yǒu
There is; hereby have (formal)
jīn zī
This year or now

兹定于明日开会。

zī dìng yú míng rì kāi huì

A meeting is hereby scheduled for tomorrow.

兹有学生一人申请补助。

zī yǒu xué shēng yī rén shēn qǐng bǔ zhù

Hereby a student is applying for a subsidy.

今兹天气非常晴朗。

jīn zī tiān qì fēi cháng qíng lǎng

The weather is very clear today.

Character Pinyin Strokes Radical
(current) 9
7
7
7
Stroke order practice for 兹 - zī

Practice Writing 兹 (zī)

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

✨ Animated stroke order · Handwriting recognition · HSK-graded practice · Free to use

Frequently Asked Questions about 兹

兹 is composed of 艹 (grass radical) on top and 玄 (dark, profound) below. The grass radical hints at growth or origin, while 玄 adds a sense of formality, together supporting meanings like 'this' or 'hereby' in classical Chinese contexts.

More HSK Level 7 Characters

Characters with Radical 艹

Other 9-Stroke Characters