之(zhī): (possessive particle
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 之 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 之 step by step
3 strokes — each frame adds one stroke, shown in dark ink over the lighter ones.
- 1
- 2
- 3
Words with 之
Common words using 之 — tap any character to open its stroke-order page.
jackals of the same tribe (idiom); fig. They are all just as bad as each other.
Open 一丘之貉 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.