定 dìng — to set; to fix; to determine; to decide; to order
我们定好了见面的时间。Wǒ men dìng hǎo le jiàn miàn de shí jiān.We have set the time to meet.
Common words: 一定 (yī dìng)、不一定 (bù yī dìng)、决定 (jué dìng)
Meaning Index
Chinese characters meaning "to order"
Learn Chinese characters with the meaning "to order", including 定 (dìng), 订 (dìng), 咐 (fù), 吩 (fēn). Study pinyin, English meanings, traditional forms…
How to Study This Meaning Group
The English word "to order" covers 4 different Chinese characters — 定 (dìng), 订 (dìng), 咐 (fù), 吩 (fēn) — and each is its own word with its own feel. These 4 characters do not share a sound — their readings span dìng, fù, fēn — so confirm the pinyin and tone for each one separately. The example sentences further down show how 定 and the others are actually used, so you learn them in context rather than as a single translation.
- 定 dìngto set; to fix; to determine; to decide; to orderUseful words: 一定, 不一定
- 订 dìngto agree; to conclude; to draw up; to subscribe to (a newspaper; etc.); to orderUseful words: 预订, 制订
- 咐 fùto orderUseful words: 嘱咐, 吩咐
- 吩 fēnleave instructions; to orderUseful words: 吩咐, 吩坦尼
Common words for these 4 "to order" characters
Anchor each of these 4 characters in a word you can picture — start with 定 (dìng) — so "to order" turns into concrete usage instead of a one-to-one translation.
一定yī dìngsurely; certainly; definitely; fixed不一定bù yī dìngnot necessarily; maybe决定jué dìngto decide; to determine; to make up one's mind; decision (预订yù dìngto place an order; to book ahead制订zhì dìngto work out; to formulate签订qiān dìngto agree to and sign (a treaty etc)嘱咐zhǔ futo urge; to exhort吩咐fēn futo tell; to instruct; to command吩咐fēn futo tell; to instruct; to command吩坦尼fēn tǎn nífentanyl (loanword) (Tw)
See each character in a sentence
Each character below is shown in a short example sentence with pinyin and an English translation — the quickest way to feel the difference between the 4 ways to say "to order".
订 dìng — to agree; to conclude; to draw up; to subscribe to (a newspaper; etc.); to order
我在网上订了一张火车票。Wǒ zài wǎng shàng dìng le yì zhāng huǒ chē piào.I booked a train ticket online.
Common words: 预订 (yù dìng)、制订 (zhì dìng)、签订 (qiān dìng)
咐 fù — to order
出门前，妈妈再三嘱咐我注意安全。Chū mén qián, mā ma zài sān zhǔ fù wǒ zhù yì ān quán.Before going out, Mom repeatedly told me to be careful.
Common words: 嘱咐 (zhǔ fu)、吩咐 (fēn fu)
吩 fēn — leave instructions; to order
老师吩咐我们明天带上画笔。Lǎo shī fēn fù wǒ men míng tiān dài shàng huà bǐ.The teacher told us to bring our brushes tomorrow.
Common words: 吩咐 (fēn fu)、吩坦尼 (fēn tǎn ní)、卟吩 (bǔ fēn)
All 4 characters
Open 定、订、咐 or any character below to hear it read aloud and see it used in an example sentence.