Hanzi Explorer
Components · Origins · Writing
Character explorer · 拆字

Hanzi breakdown

Explore how a character is built, identify its meaning and sound components, then practise writing it stroke by stroke.

Enter up to eight Chinese characters. Detailed breakdowns cover all 625 characters used in HSK 1–3 here.

子1 / 1
Character breakdownzi / overlaid / Pictograph
子
zi

Origin clue: A child in a wrap, with outstretched arms but bundled legs

Strokes

Components

Part / base了leA child swaddled in blanklets; compare 子Part / overlaid一yīone
子zi
Structureoverlaid
Radical子child, son
TypePictograph

How it works

子 developed from a stylized picture of the thing or idea it represents.

Common words 16

  • 杯子 HSK 1bēizicup · glass
  • 桌子 HSK 1zhuōzidesk · table
  • 儿子 HSK 1érzison
  • 椅子 HSK 1yǐzichair
  • 孩子 HSK 2háizichild · kid