甲(jiǎ): first of the ten Heavenly Stems 十天干[shi2 tian1 gan1]
HSK 55 strokes
first of the ten Heavenly Stems 十天干[shi2 tian1 gan1]
Stroke order animation
Character information
- Pinyin
- jiǎ
- Meaning
- first of the ten Heavenly Stems 十天干[shi2 tian1 gan1]; (used for an unspecified person or thing); first (in a list, as a party to a contract etc); letter "A" or roman "I" in list "A, B, C", or "I, II, III" etc; armor plating; shell or carapace; (of the fingers or toes) nail; bladed leather or metal armor (old); ranking system used in the Imperial examinations (old); civil administration unit in the baojia 保甲[bao3 jia3] system (old); ancient Chinese compass point: 75°
- Strokes
- 5
- HSK level
- HSK 5
- Traditional
- Same
Origin & structure
Where 甲 comes from and how its parts fit together.
How to write 甲 step by step
5 strokes — each frame adds one stroke, shown in dark ink over the lighter ones.
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
Words with 甲
Common words using 甲 — tap any character to open its stroke-order page.
(idiom) to throw away one's helmet and armor while fleeing from defeat
Open 丢盔弃甲 page →Related characters
Ready to master 甲?
Trace 甲 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.