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休

休 (xiū) Chinese Character: to rest; take a break

6 strokes · HSK 1 · Radical 人

A person 亻 pauses beside a tree 木 to rest.

Practice 休 in the interactive lesson

Chinese character story: A Person Resting by a Tree

休 (xiū) means “to rest” or “take a break.” On the left is 亻, the side form of 人, “person.” On the right is 木, “tree.” Picture a traveler stopping beside a tree. The common word 休息 means “to rest,” while 休假 means “take leave.”

🧩 Word buildingSee what every part contributes

Chinese words often combine short meaning clues. Fixed expressions are clearly marked so you do not translate them too literally.

休息
休rest息breath or pause=rest or take a break
午休
午noon休rest=lunch break or midday rest

Chinese character origin and etymology

The traditional compound-idea explanation joins a person with a tree: someone pauses beside a tree to rest. The same two parts remain visible in modern 休.

In modern simplified Chinese, 休 is written with 6 strokes. This lesson separates documented shape history from the memory story so learners do not mistake a mnemonic for a historical claim. 休 contains 亻 and 木. These parts act like clues: a component may suggest a meaning category, a pronunciation, or simply preserve part of the character's historical structure.

Chinese character stroke order and structure

休 is written with 6 strokes. Learn the complete stroke sequence in the interactive lesson, then write the character from memory before checking your answer.

  • 亻 — person — the one who stops moving
  • 木 — tree — a place to pause and rest

Common usage and sentence patterns

The examples below show 休 in complete beginner-friendly sentences. Read each sentence aloud, notice where the character appears, and then replace one noun or number to create a new sentence of your own.

我们休息一下。 Wǒmen xiūxi yíxià. Let’s rest for a moment.
他今天休息。 Tā jīntiān xiūxi. He is resting today.
学习以后要休息。 Xuéxí yǐhòu yào xiūxi. You should rest after studying.

Learning tips for 休

Learn the reading as one unit: xiū, with the first tone: high and level. Avoid memorizing the letters without the tone mark. Say the syllable, recall the English meaning “to rest; take a break,” and write the 6 strokes from memory.

Because 休 contains reusable components, identify those clues before memorizing the whole shape. Compare it with 人 (rén, person); 木 (mù, tree, wood). Similar characters are easier to remember when their different parts and meanings are studied side by side.

Quick review checklist

  • Can you recognize 休 without pinyin?
  • Can you say xiū with the correct tone and explain “to rest; take a break”?
  • Can you write all 6 strokes in order?
  • Can you use 休 in one short sentence?

Related characters

Continue learning Chinese characters

Use the Chinese radicals and components guide to understand reusable parts, the stroke order guide to improve handwriting, and the HSK 1 character overview to choose your next beginner lesson.

Sources and editorial note

HanziStory separates documented character history from modern memory stories. Historical-form images are shown only when a matching source file is available; missing stages are skipped rather than invented. Stroke practice uses HanziWriter data.

Last updated: August 12, 2026. Read our sources, editorial method, and correction policy.