Meaning
to write
Chinese: 书写、写作。
Hear the Four Tones
The same syllable “xie” becomes a different word in each tone. 写 is the 3rd tone. Tap any tone to hear a native voice and see its pitch shape.
Stroke Order
Tap Animate to watch the strokes in order, or Practice to trace it yourself.
Common Words
- 听写tīng xiě(of a pupil) to write down (in a dictation exercise); dictation; (music) to transcribe by ear
- 写作xiě zuòto write; to compose; writing; written works
- 描写miáo xiěto describe; to depict; to portray; depiction
- 填写tián xiěto fill in a form; to write data in a box (on a questionnaire or web form)
- 抄写chāo xiěto copy; to transcribe
Example Sentence
老师教我们怎么写这个字。Lǎo shī jiāo wǒ men zěn me xiě zhè ge zì.The teacher teaches us how to write this character.
老师Lǎo shīteacher教jiāoto teach我们wǒ menwe怎么zěn mehow写xiěto write这个zhè ge(pronoun) this字zìletter。
Go deeper
Where this character comes from
Simplified from 寫 (originally to set things out under a roof). It means ‘to write, put down in writing; to compose, write (a work); to depict, describe; to paint (写生)’ (写字, 写作, 描写).
A way to remember it
‘To write / compose / depict’: 写字 (write), 写作 (writing).