昨 (zuó) - Meaning, Stroke Order, Words & Examples

Q: What does 昨 (zuó) mean in Chinese?

The Chinese character 昨 (zuó) means "Yesterday". It is an HSK Level 1 character, with 9 strokes and the radical 日.

Q: How do you write 昨 stroke by stroke?

昨 has 9 strokes. The radical is 日. 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 昨 and 旰?

昨 (zuó) and 旰 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 昨?

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

Q: What common words use 昨?

Common words containing 昨 include: 昨天 (zuó tiān) — Yesterday; 昨晚 (zuó wǎn) — Last night; 昨夜 (zuó yè) — Last night.

How to Write 昨

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

昨 is pronounced zuó in Mandarin Chinese. It means Yesterday.

As an HSK Level 1 character, 昨 is among the first characters beginners learn.

Common Words with 昨

昨天 zuó tiān

Yesterday

昨晚 zuó wǎn

Last night

昨夜 zuó yè

Last night

Example Sentences

昨天我去看了电影。

zuó tiān wǒ qù kàn le diàn yǐng

I went to see a movie yesterday.

昨晚我睡得很早。

zuó wǎn wǒ shuì dé hěn zǎo

I went to sleep very early last night.

昨夜下了一场大雨。

zuó yè xià le yī cháng dà yǔ

It rained heavily last night.

Similar Characters

旰 gàn

旱 hàn

旲 tái

Practice Writing 昨 (zuó)

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

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Frequently Asked Questions about 昨

What does 昨 (zuó) mean in Chinese?

How do you write 昨 stroke by stroke?

What's the difference between 昨 and 旰?

What mistakes do learners make writing 昨?

What common words use 昨?

How to Write 昨 (zuó)