儿子
儿child子son=son
子
子 (zǐ) Chinese Character: child, son
Big head, tiny arms, wrapped up — that's a baby!
Practice 子 in the interactive lessonChinese character story: The Wrapped Baby
子 is a baby — a big head, little arms, wrapped snug. The ancient drawing captured a child bundled in cloth. "Son," "child," "seed" — 子 is where life continues, the next generation written in a single soft shape.
🧩 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.
子女
子sons or children女daughters=children
Chinese character origin and etymology
子 is documented as a basic character form. Its earlier written forms gradually became the regular-script shape used today.
In modern simplified Chinese, 子 is written with 3 strokes. This lesson separates documented shape history from the memory story so learners do not mistake a mnemonic for a historical claim. 子 works as one complete form rather than a puzzle made from smaller modern components. Learning its overall silhouette is useful because the same shape may later appear inside more complex characters.
Chinese character stroke order and structure
子 is written with 3 strokes. Learn the complete stroke sequence in the interactive lesson, then write the character from memory before checking your answer.
- 子 — child — a swaddled baby
Common usage and sentence patterns
The examples below show 子 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.
孩子们在公园里玩。
The children are playing in the park.
他的儿子喜欢踢足球。
His son likes playing soccer.
桌子上有一本书。
There is a book on the table.
Learning tips for 子
Learn the reading as one unit: zǐ, with the third tone: falling then rising. Avoid memorizing the letters without the tone mark. Say the syllable, recall the English meaning “child, son,” and write the 3 strokes from memory.
Because 子 is a basic form, focus on its proportions and stroke direction. Compare it with 字 (zì, character — roof (宀) + child (子)); 学 (xué, study — child (子) under a roof); 好 (hǎo, good — woman (女) + child (子)). Similar characters are easier to remember when their different parts and meanings are studied side by side.
Quick review checklist
- Can you recognize 子 without pinyin?
- Can you say zǐ with the correct tone and explain “child, son”?
- Can you write all 3 strokes in order?
- Can you use 子 in one short sentence?
Related characters
Learn 子 in a themed collection
Compare this character with related beginner words. A themed path helps you notice useful pairs, word-building patterns, and everyday contexts.
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.