草 Stroke Order — How to Write 草
草 is written in 10 strokes, following the standard Chinese stroke order. Start from the radical 艹, then complete the remaining strokes.
Stroke order matters in Chinese: it keeps the character balanced, and it is how dictionaries and handwriting input methods expect a character to be written.
草 Radical and Character Components
草 is a phono-semantic compound: 艹 (grass) carries the meaning, while 早 indicates the sound.
Radical: 艹 + 6 more strokes
草 Pronunciation and Pinyin
- cǎo
Meanings of 草 in Chinese
1
cǎo草
A general term for herbaceous plants with soft stems, excluding trees, crops, and vegetables; more broadly, it refers to any plant with a relatively soft stem, including some crops and vegetables. It also encompasses things made of grass or related concepts such as rough drafts or casual actions.
春天来了，小路上长满了青草
Spring has arrived, and the path is covered with green grass.
Stalks and leaves of crops (like rice or wheat) used as fuel or fodder; straw.
这些稻草可以用来做牲畜的草料。
This straw can be used as fodder for livestock.
Crude, rough, or careless; lacking in thoroughness or detail.
他工作时总是非常仔细，从不草率行事
He is always very careful when working and never acts carelessly.
A style of Chinese calligraphy characterized by its flowing, connected, and often abstract strokes, also known as cursive script.
爷爷喜欢写草书，他的字迹潇洒飘逸。
Grandpa loves to write cursive script; his handwriting is elegant and flowing.
To draft (a document or plan); a preliminary or unofficial version; rough.
我们需要尽快草拟一份合同。
We need to draft a contract as soon as possible.
Wilderness, uncultivated land; extended to refer to unofficial, civilian, or sometimes rebellious/outlaw groups and their origins.
他虽然出身草莽，却心怀天下，胸有大志。
Although he came from humble beginnings, he harbored a global vision and great ambitions.
Female (used for certain livestock or poultry), as in '草鸡' (cǎo jī), meaning hen.
你别那么草鸡，这点小事没什么好怕的。
Don't be such a coward; there's nothing to be afraid of in such a small matter.
Common Words and Phrases with 草
1
a preliminary version of a document, such as a law or regulation, that has not yet been finalized.
公司正在审核新的员工行为准则草案
The company is reviewing the draft of the new employee code of conduct.
2
grassy slope
孩子们在阳光明媚的草坂上尽情玩耍，欢声笑语回荡。
Children played joyfully on the sunny grassy slope, their laughter echoing.
3
A good-for-nothing or blockhead; an incompetent person.
他虽然被提拔到那个职位，但实际上是个草包，什么事情都搞砸了
Although he was promoted to that position, he is actually a complete dummy and messes up everything.
4
An herb; a herbaceous plant that is annual, biennial, or perennial.
许多药用植物都是草本植物，例如薄荷和薰衣草。
Many medicinal plants are herbaceous plants, such as mint and lavender.
5
A wisp of straw or a grass stick attached to an item for sale, used in ancient China to mark goods.
在旧时的集市上，待出售的牲畜或物件上通常会插上一个草标儿。
In old marketplaces, livestock or goods for sale would usually have a straw marker attached.
6
Hastily and carelessly; roughly.
他草草地完成了任务，结果留下了许多小错误。
He completed the task carelessly, resulting in many small errors.
7
To finish something carelessly, hastily, or slovenly.
他总是喜欢草草了事，所以工作质量很难保证。
He always likes to do things hastily and carelessly, so the quality of his work is difficult to guarantee.
8
preliminary or rough measurement/survey
工程师们对新项目的场地进行了草测，以便初步评估地形和大小。
The engineers conducted a rough survey of the new project site to initially assess the terrain and size.
9
A meadow or grassland used for grazing.
我们沿着小径来到了那片郁郁葱葱的草场，看到了许多牛羊。
We followed the path to that lush pastureland and saw many cattle and sheep.
10
To initiate or found something, often in a preliminary or rudimentary stage; to make a rough draft.
他与几位志同道合的朋友共同草创了这家科技公司。
He, along with several like-minded friends, jointly founded this technology company.
11
a thick growth of grass
小猫喜欢躲在草丛里观察周围。
The kitten likes to hide in the dense grass and observe its surroundings.
12
An area of land covered with grass; a grassland or lawn.
孩子们在草地上开心地玩耍。
Children are happily playing on the lawn.
13
grassy marshland
村子后面有一片开阔的草甸子，是孩子们玩耍的好地方。
Behind the village, there is an open meadow, which is a good place for children to play.
14
A large outdoor pile or stack of hay or straw, often for storage.
孩子们在农场边高大的草垛上玩耍，玩得很开心
The children had a great time playing on the tall hayrick by the farm.
15
A house with a roof made of thatch (straw or dried grass).
村子里有几间古老的草房，屋顶上铺满了厚厚的茅草
There are a few ancient thatched cottages in the village, their roofs covered with thick thatch.
More words with 草
- shuí水cǎo草Water grass, Aquatic plants
- yé野cǎo草weed
- zá杂cǎo草Weed
- chú除cǎo草weeding, to weed
- dào稻cǎo草rice straw
- qīng青cǎo草green grass
- shī蓍cǎo草yarrow, milfoil
- xiāng香cǎo草vanilla, herb
- bái白cǎo草white grass
- bén本cǎo草Materia medica, Chinese medicinal herbs
- chái柴cǎo草Firewood and grass used as fuel.
- chú锄cǎo草To remove weeds, often using a hoe.
- dēng灯cǎo草rush pith, lamp wick
- dú毒cǎo草poisonous plant, poisonous weed
- gān甘cǎo草licorice
- gǔ谷cǎo草straw
- hǎi海cǎo草Seaweed; marine plants like algae.
- liáng粮cǎo草Provisions, Supplies
- liáo潦cǎo草Sloppy, Careless
- màn蔓cǎo草creeping or climbing plants; weeds
Idioms with 草
- cǎo草cǎo草lǜ率lǜ率do things carelessly
- cǎo草cǎo草shōu收bīng兵finish hastily and carelessly
- cǎo草chuán船jiè借jiàn箭Borrow resources through clever stratagem
- cǎo草jiān菅rén人mìng命wantonly kill people
- cǎo草shuài率cóng从shì事do things carelessly
- cǎo草shuài率liǎo了shì事to do things carelessly
- cǎo草shuài率shōu收bīng兵finish a task perfunctorily and hastily
- cǎo草mǎng莽yīng英xióng雄grassroots hero
- cǎo草mù木jiē皆bīng兵imagining threats everywhere
- chū出shān山xiǎo小cǎo草Hermit emerging from seclusion to serve in office
- cùn寸cǎo草bù不liú留leave absolutely nothing behind
- cùn寸cǎo草bù不shēng生utterly barren or desolate
Questions about 草
- What does 草 mean in Chinese?
- 草 (cǎo) means “Crude, rough, or careless” in Chinese.
- How do you pronounce 草?
- 草 is pronounced cǎo in Mandarin Chinese.
- How many strokes does 草 have?
- 草 has 10 strokes.
- How do you write 草?
- 草 is written in 10 strokes, starting from the radical 艹. See the animated stroke order on this page.
- What is the radical of 草?
- The radical of 草 is 艹, and 草 is a phono-semantic compound.