祖 (zǔ) - Meaning, Stroke Order, Words & Examples

Q: What does 祖 (zǔ) mean in Chinese?

The Chinese character 祖 (zǔ) means "ancestor; grandfather". It is an HSK Level 6 character, with 9 strokes and the radical 礻.

Q: How do you write 祖 stroke by stroke?

祖 has 9 strokes. The radical is 礻. Follow the standard stroke order: top to bottom, left to right, outside before inside. Practice with stroke animation to build muscle memory.

Q: What's the difference between 祖 and 社?

祖 (zǔ) and 社 look similar but differ in meaning and usage. Check the radical and stroke count to tell them apart.

Q: What mistakes do learners make writing 祖?

Common mistake: incorrect stroke order or miswriting the radical 礻. Pay attention to the proportion between components — keep the radical compact.

Q: What common words use 祖?

Common words containing 祖 include: 祖父 (zǔ fù) — paternal grandfather; 祖国 (zǔ guó) — motherland; homeland; 祖先 (zǔ xiān) — ancestors; forefathers.

How to Write 祖

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

Meaning & Pronunciation

祖 is pronounced zǔ in Mandarin Chinese. It means ancestor; grandfather.

As an HSK Level 6 character, 祖 is an intermediate-level character.

Common Words with 祖

祖父 zǔ fù

paternal grandfather

祖国 zǔ guó

motherland; homeland

祖先 zǔ xiān

ancestors; forefathers

Example Sentences

我的祖父很爱我。

wǒ de zǔ fù hěn ài wǒ

My grandfather loves me very much.

我热爱我的祖国。

wǒ rè ài wǒ de zǔ guó

I love my motherland.

我们要尊敬祖先。

wǒ men yào zūn jìng zǔ xiān

We should respect our ancestors.

Similar Characters

社 shè

祀 sì

祆 xiān

Practice Writing 祖 (zǔ)

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

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Frequently Asked Questions about 祖

What does 祖 (zǔ) mean in Chinese?

How do you write 祖 stroke by stroke?

What's the difference between 祖 and 社?

What mistakes do learners make writing 祖?

What common words use 祖?

How to Write 祖 (zǔ)