自(zì)

HSK 26 strokes

(bound form) self

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Stroke order animation

Character information

Pinyin
zì
Meaning
(bound form) self; oneself; from; since; naturally; as a matter of course
Strokes
6
HSK level
HSK 2
Traditional
Same

Origin & structure

Where 自 comes from and how its parts fit together.

Pictograph⿻目？

A nose; in China, people refer to themselves by pointing to their noses

A drawing of the thing it names.

Made of

目mù

Parts are arranged overlaid.

How to write 自 step by step

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

  1. 1
  2. 2
  3. 3
  4. 4
  5. 5
  6. 6

Words with 自

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

lái来zì自
HSK 2

to come from (a place); From: (in email header)

Open 来自 page →
gè各zì自
HSK 3

each

Open 各自 page →
bù不yóu由zì自zhǔ主
HSK 7-9

(idiom) can't help but; involuntarily

Open 不由自主 page →
chū出zì自
HSK 7-9

to come from

Open 出自 page →
sān三zì自

abbr. for 三自爱国教会, Three-Self Patriotic…

Open 三自 page →
jìn尽zì自

always; always regardless (of anything)

Open 尽自 page →
bù不dǎ打zì自zhāo招

to confess without being pressed

Open 不打自招 page →
bù不gōng攻zì自pò破

(of a rumor etc) to collapse (in the light of facts etc)

Open 不攻自破 page →

Related characters

More HSK 2 characters

万且业为主举久乐

From 自’s common words

来各不由主出三尽

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