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在 — to exist; to be alive; to be at

Pinyin
zài
Strokes
6
HSK level
HSK 1
Handwriting
required

How to write 在: 6 strokes

Each cell adds one stroke to the previous ones, with the new stroke in red. Stroke order is not decoration: it sets the proportions of the character and makes handwriting legible to a reader. This character is on the HSK handwriting list, so the exam expects you to write it, not only recognise it.

在 — 6 strokes, in writing order from left to right.

Build a printable practice sheet with 在

Words with 在 in the HSK syllabus: 20

Every word in the official 2026 syllabus that contains this character, with the level it is introduced at. Learning a character pays off through these: each one combines with the characters you already know.

  1. 现在xiànzàinow; at present; currentlyHSK 1
  2. 在zàito exist; to be alive; to be atHSK 1
  3. 正在zhèngzàito be in the process of; to be currently ...-ingHSK 1
  4. 实在shízàireally; actually; indeed; true; real; honestHSK 4
  5. 存在cúnzàito exist; to be; existenceHSK 5
  6. 在场zàichǎngto be present; to be on the sceneHSK 5
  7. 在乎zàihuto rest with; to lie in; to be due to; to care aboutHSK 5
  8. 在内zàinèiin it; among themHSK 5
  9. 在线zàixiànonline; connected to the InternetHSK 5
  10. 在于zàiyúto rest with; to lie in; to be due toHSK 5
  11. 在意zàiyìto care about; to mindHSK 6
  12. 好在hǎozàiluckily; fortunatelyHSK 7–9
  13. 内在nèizàiinner; internal; intrinsic; innateHSK 7–9
  14. 潜在qiánzàihidden; potential; latentHSK 7–9
  15. 所在suǒzàiplace; location; place where it is locatedHSK 7–9
  16. 外在wàizàiexternal; extrinsicHSK 7–9
  17. 在所难免zàisuǒnánmiǎnto be unavoidableHSK 7–9
  18. 在职zàizhíto be employed; to be in post; on-the-jobHSK 7–9
  19. 旨在zhǐzàito have as its purpose; to be intended to; to aim toHSK 7–9
  20. 自在zìzaicomfortable; at easeHSK 7–9

Glosses come from CC-CEDICT, used under CC BY-SA 4.0, and are the dictionary’s first sense rather than a translation chosen for context.