才(cái): ability
HSK 23 strokes
ability
Stroke order animation
Character information
- Pinyin
- cái
- Meaning
- ability; talent; sb of a certain type; a capable individual; then and only then; just now; (before an expression of quantity) only
- Strokes
- 3
- HSK level
- HSK 2
- Traditional
- Same
Origin & structure
Where 才 comes from and how its parts fit together.
Ideograph
⿻扌？A sprout growing in the ground, representing a budding talent
A combination of parts whose meanings add up to the whole.
Made of
Parts are arranged overlaid.
How to write 才 step by step
3 strokes — each frame adds one stroke, shown in dark ink over the lighter ones.
- 1
- 2
- 3
Words with 才
Common words using 才 — tap any character to open its stroke-order page.
Related characters
Ready to master 才?
Trace 才 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.