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子 — noun suffix, as in 椅子[yi3 zi5] "chair"

Pinyin
zi · zǐ
Strokes
3
HSK level
HSK 1
Handwriting
required

This character has more than one reading — zi, zǐ — and the pronunciation depends on the word it appears in. The list below gives the syllabus reading for each word.

How to write 子: 3 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.

子 — 3 strokes, in writing order from left to right.

Build a printable practice sheet with 子

Words with 子 in the HSK syllabus: 128

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. 包子bāozibaozi; baoHSK 1
  2. 杯子bēizicup; glassHSK 1
  3. 儿子érzisonHSK 1
  4. 孩子háizichildHSK 1
  5. 饺子jiǎozidumpling; pot-stickerHSK 1
  6. 椅子yǐzichairHSK 1
  7. 桌子zhuōzitable; deskHSK 1
  8. 本子běnzibook; notebookHSK 2
  9. 个子gèzistature; height; sizeHSK 2
  10. 裤子kùzitrousers; pantsHSK 2
  11. 妻子qīziwifeHSK 2
  12. 电子书diànzǐshūelectronic book; e-book; e-book readerHSK 3
  13. 房子fángzihouse; building; apartment; roomHSK 3
  14. 句子jùzisentenceHSK 3
  15. 筷子kuàizichopsticksHSK 3
  16. 盘子pánzitray; plate; dishHSK 3
  17. 瓶子píngzibottleHSK 3
  18. 裙子qúnziskirtHSK 3
  19. 勺子sháozispoon; ladleHSK 3
  20. 屋子wūzihouse; roomHSK 3
  21. 箱子xiāngzisuitcase; chest; box; case; trunkHSK 3
  22. 子zinoun suffix, as in 椅子[yi3 zi5] "chair"HSK 3
  23. 鼻子bízinoseHSK 4
  24. 袋子dàizibagHSK 4
  25. 肚子dùzibelly; abdomen; stomachHSK 4
  26. 父子fùzǐfather and sonHSK 4
  27. 盒子hézibox; caseHSK 4
  28. 镜子jìngzimirrorHSK 4
  29. 例子lìzicase; instance; exampleHSK 4
  30. 帽子màozihat; cap; label; bad nameHSK 4
  31. 母子mǔzǐmother and child; parent and subsidiaryHSK 4
  32. 牌子páizisign; trademark; brandHSK 4
  33. 日子rìziday; a date; days of one's lifeHSK 4
  34. 孙子sūnzigrandson; son's sonHSK 4
  35. 袜子wàzisocks; stockingsHSK 4
  36. 小伙子xiǎohuǒziyoung man; young fellow; ladHSK 4
  37. 样子yàngziappearance; manner; pattern; modelHSK 4
  38. 叶子yèzileaf; marijuanaHSK 4
  39. 院子yuànzicourtyard; garden; yard; patio; servantHSK 4
  40. 被子bèiziblanket; quiltHSK 5

And 88 more across the higher levels — the full lists are on the level pages.

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.