Learn Chinese Characters

Meaning

straight; vertical; frank; directly; straightly; upright

Chinese: 笔直、直接、坦率。

Hear the Four Tones

The same syllable “zhi” becomes a different word in each tone. 直 is the 2nd 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

  • 一直yī zhístraight (in a straight line); continuously; always; all the way through
  • 直接zhí jiēdirect; immediate; straightforward
  • 直到zhí dàountil
  • 简直jiǎn zhísimply; really
  • 直播zhí bō(TV, radio) to broadcast live; live broadcast; (Internet) to livestream; (agriculture) direct seeding

Example Sentence

请一直往前走。Qǐng yì zhí wǎng qián zǒu.Please go straight ahead.

Qǐngto ask一直yì zhíall along往前wǎng qián(in) the pastzǒuto walk

Go deeper

Where this character comes from

An eye (目) with a straight line above it: looking dead straight ahead. It means ‘straight / upright / direct’.

A way to remember it

A straight line of sight over the eye — straight.

Easy to confuse with

  • zhēn‘True’: 直-like upper part, but with extra strokes at the base.