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.
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The character 兹 (zī) is written with 9 strokes. Follow the standard Chinese stroke order: top to bottom, left to right, outside before inside. The radical 艹 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.
兹 means This; now; hereby (formal).
As an HSK Level 7 character, 兹 is an intermediate-level character.
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'.
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.
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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.