(zhī)

HSK 43 strokes

(possessive particle

Stroke order animation

Character information

Pinyin
zhī
Meaning
(possessive particle, literary equivalent of 的[de5]); him; her; it
Strokes
3
HSK level
HSK 4
Traditional
Same

Origin & structure

Where comes from and how its parts fit together.

Ideograph⿱丶?

A foot meaning "to follow"; cursive version of 止

A combination of parts whose meanings add up to the whole.

Made of

Parts are arranged top to bottom.

How to write step by step

3 strokes — each frame adds one stroke, shown in dark ink over the lighter ones.

  1. 1
  2. 2
  3. 3

Words with

Common words using — tap any character to open its stroke-order page.

zhī
HSK 4

one of (sth); one out of a multitude; one (third, quarter, percent etc)

Open 之一 page →
HSK 7-9

proficiency in a particular field (idiom)

Open 一技之长 page →

to settle a matter by leaving it unsettled

Open 不了了之 page →
jiǔzhī

for a long time

Open 久之 page →

jackals of the same tribe (idiom); fig. They are all just as bad as each other.

Open 一丘之貉 page →

once is more than enough (idiom)

Open 一之为甚 page →

Related characters

Ready to master 之?

Trace 之 stroke by stroke in the online practice tool, or turn it into a printable worksheet PDF with Tianzige practice grids, pinyin, and stroke-order breakdowns.