四月
四four月month=April
四
四 (sì) Chinese Character: four
A frame surrounds two inner strokes.
Practice 四 in the interactive lessonChinese character story: The Number Four
四 (sì) means “four.” Imagine a small box holding a complete set of four. You will see it in 四个人, “four people,” and 四月, “April.”
🧩 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.
四个人
四four个general measure word人people=four people
Chinese character origin and etymology
四 (sì) means “four.” Imagine a small box holding a complete set of four. You will see it in 四个人, “four people,” and 四月, “April.”
In modern simplified Chinese, 四 is written with 5 strokes. This lesson separates documented shape history from the memory story so learners do not mistake a mnemonic for a historical claim. 四 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
四 is written with 5 strokes. Learn the complete stroke sequence in the interactive lesson, then write the character from memory before checking your answer.
- 四 — four — a basic form used as one complete character
Common usage and sentence patterns
The examples below show 四 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.
我有四本书。
I have four books.
桌上有四个苹果。
There are four apples on the table.
四月天气很好。
The weather is nice in April.
Learning tips for 四
Learn the reading as one unit: sì, with the fourth tone: a sharp fall. Avoid memorizing the letters without the tone mark. Say the syllable, recall the English meaning “four,” and write the 5 strokes from memory.
Because 四 is a basic form, focus on its proportions and stroke direction. Compare it with 三 (sān, three); 五 (wǔ, five). Similar characters are easier to remember when their different parts and meanings are studied side by side.
Quick review checklist
- Can you recognize 四 without pinyin?
- Can you say sì with the correct tone and explain “four”?
- Can you write all 5 strokes in order?
- Can you use 四 in one short sentence?
Related characters
Learn 四 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.