Learn Chinese Characters

Meaning

(surname); complete; encircle; circuit; lap; week

Chinese: 一周、周围或周全。

Hear the Four Tones

The same syllable “zhou” becomes a different word in each tone. 周 is the 1st 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

  • 周末zhōu mòweekend
  • 上周shàng zhōulast week
  • 周年zhōu niánanniversary; annual
  • 下周xià zhōunext week
  • 周围zhōu wéienvirons; surroundings; periphery

Example Sentence

这个周末我们去爬山。Zhè ge zhōu mò wǒ men qù pá shān.This weekend we are going hiking.

这个Zhè ge(pronoun) this周末zhōu mòweekend我们wǒ menweto goto crawlshānmountain

Go deeper

Where this character comes from

A graph of a dense, complete field. It means ‘a circle, circuit, lap; a week; all around, everywhere; thorough, attentive, complete; the Zhou dynasty; a surname’ (周围, 一周, 周到).

A way to remember it

‘All around / a week / thorough’: 周围, 一周, 周到.