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七

七 (qī) Chinese Character: seven

2 strokes · HSK 1 · Radical 七

One horizontal stroke meets a bent rising stroke.

Practice 七 in the interactive lesson

Chinese character story: The Number Seven

七 (qī) means “seven.” Its two quick strokes make it one of the easiest Chinese numbers to write. Use 七天 for “seven days” and 七月 for “July.”

🧩 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.

七月
七seven月month=July
七个人
七seven个general measure word人people=seven people

Chinese character origin and etymology

七 (qī) means “seven.” Its two quick strokes make it one of the easiest Chinese numbers to write. Use 七天 for “seven days” and 七月 for “July.”

One horizontal stroke meets a bent rising stroke. 七 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

七 is written with 2 strokes. Learn the complete stroke sequence in the interactive lesson, then write the character from memory before checking your answer.

  • 七 — seven — a basic form used as one complete character

Common usage and sentence patterns

The examples below show 七 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.

一个星期有七天。 Yí ge xīngqī yǒu qī tiān. A week has seven days.
我七点起床。 Wǒ qī diǎn qǐchuáng. I get up at seven o’clock.
七月天气很热。 Qīyuè tiānqì hěn rè. The weather is hot in July.

Learning tips for 七

Learn the reading as one unit: qī, with the first tone: high and level. Avoid memorizing the letters without the tone mark. Say the syllable, recall the English meaning “seven,” and write the 2 strokes from memory.

Because 七 is a basic form, focus on its proportions and stroke direction. Compare it with 六 (liù, six); 八 (bā, eight). Similar characters are easier to remember when their different parts and meanings are studied side by side.

Quick review checklist

  • Can you recognize 七 without pinyin?
  • Can you say qī with the correct tone and explain “seven”?
  • Can you write all 2 strokes in order?
  • Can you use 七 in one short sentence?

Related characters

Learn 七 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.

🔢 Chinese Numbers 1–10

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.