着 Stroke Order — How to Write 着
着 is written in 12 strokes, following the standard Chinese stroke order. Start from the radical 目, 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.
着 Radical and Character Components
Radical: 目 + 7 more strokes
着 Pronunciation and Pinyin
- zhuó
- zháo
- zhāo
- zhe
Meanings of 着 in Chinese
1
zhuó着
to wear (clothes); to put on (clothing)
她今天穿着一件漂亮的连衣裙。
She is wearing a beautiful dress today.
To touch, make contact with, or adhere to. Often used in phrases like '不着边际' (irrelevant or wide of the mark).
他说话总是天马行空，不着边际
His conversations are always all over the place and beside the point.
To apply, to put on, or to attach something (like attention, effort, color, or a pen) onto another object or matter, implying focus or exertion.
在做任何决定之前，我们都应该多替他人着想。
Before making any decision, we should always be more considerate of others.
To find a place to settle, a solution, or a reliable source.
这个项目资金的着落还没有确定。
The source of funding for this project has not yet been determined.
To dispatch or send (someone) to perform a task.
着人去把资料拿过来。
Send someone to bring the documents over.
Used in official or formal contexts, often in written directives, to express a command for immediate action, meaning 'forthwith' or 'immediately'.
文件已送达，着即处理
The document has been delivered; forthwith, process it.
2
zháo着
To touch, to come into contact with, or to be close to; can also imply relevance or a lack of foundation/direction.
你说的话不着边际。
What you said is irrelevant.
To feel, to be affected by, or to catch (an illness, a feeling). It often indicates the result of an action or exposure.
昨天晚上没盖被子，结果着凉了。
I didn't cover myself with a quilt last night, and as a result, I caught a cold.
To apply or direct one's attention, effort, or method towards something; to focus on; to make use of.
我们应该着眼于未来。
We should focus on the future.
To catch fire; for a light to be lit or turned on.
小心，别让蜡烛着火了
Be careful, don't let the candle catch fire.
to fall asleep (often quickly or easily)
他一躺下就着了
He fell asleep as soon as he lay down.
Used after a verb to indicate that a goal has been achieved or a result has occurred.
我终于找着了那本书！
I finally found that book!
3
zhāo着
When playing a game, especially chess, to make a move or take a step. It implies a strategic action, often used in phrases like '着数' (tactic, move) or '一着儿好棋' (a brilliant move).
他下了一着儿好棋，扭转了局面
He made a brilliant move, turning the tide of the game.
A clever scheme, trick, or method, often used in phrases like '高着儿' (good move/clever solution).
他想了个高着儿，成功解决了这个难题。
He came up with a clever solution and successfully solved this difficult problem.
To add (e.g., seasoning, ingredients) into something, similar to 'put in'.
菜里着点儿糖，味道更好
Add a little sugar to the dish, and it will taste better.
An affirmative interjection indicating agreement or acknowledgment; "exactly", "that's right".
你说得真对，着！
You are absolutely right, exactly!
4
zhe着
Particle indicating an action in progress or a state of continuation.
她穿着一件漂亮的裙子。
She is wearing a beautiful dress.
An auxiliary word, indicating a deep degree or extent, often used with '呢' to emphasize.
这孩子聪明着呢！
This child is very clever!
Particle, indicating an imperative or a command, often used after a verb.
你看着我！
Look at me!
A particle used after certain verbs to indicate 'along with', 'following', or 'according to' an action, effectively turning the verb into a prepositional phrase.
你顺着这条小路一直走，就能看到湖了。
Walk straight along this small path, and you'll see the lake.
Common Words and Phrases with 着
1
To put pen to paper; to start writing.
他着笔写下第一句话时，心中的故事便开始流淌。
As he put pen to paper for the first sentence, the story in his heart began to flow.
2
everywhere
春天来了，花儿着处盛开，为大地增添了色彩。
Spring has arrived, and flowers are blooming everywhere, adding color to the land.
3
Implantation, the process by which a fertilized egg attaches to the wall of the uterus.
胚胎成功着床是早期妊娠的关键一步。
Successful embryo implantation is a critical step in early pregnancy.
4
to be alarmed or flustered; to panic
她发现钥匙不见了，心里有点着慌
She found her keys missing and felt a bit flustered.
5
To catch fire; to be on fire.
厨房里的毛巾不小心着火了，幸好消防员及时赶到。
The towel in the kitchen accidentally caught fire, but thankfully the firefighters arrived in time.
6
ignition point; flash point
汽油的着火点很低，因此在储存和使用时必须格外小心，避免火源。
Gasoline has a very low flash point, so extreme caution must be exercised during storage and use to avoid ignition sources.
7
to worry; to feel anxious or impatient
她很着急地看着手表，生怕迟到了。
She anxiously looked at her watch, afraid of being late.
8
Urgent, important, or to rush immediately; can also mean close or intimate (of relationships).
这件事很着紧，我们得马上办好。
This matter is very urgent; we need to get it done immediately.
9
to exert oneself; to put forth effort
他着劲儿地把那个沉重的箱子搬了起来。
He put in a lot of effort to lift that heavy box.
10
to exert oneself; to put forth effort
团队着力于技术创新，以提升产品竞争力。
The team is dedicated to technological innovation to enhance product competitiveness.
11
To catch a cold or become ill due to exposure to cold.
昨晚睡觉没盖好被子，结果着凉了。
Last night I didn't cover myself well while sleeping, and as a result, I caught a cold.
12
To land, especially an aircraft, on the ground.
这架飞机在跑道上安全着陆。
The aircraft made a safe landing on the runway.
13
Whereabouts; a definite outcome or solution; a reliable source of support.
她最近一直在找工作，希望能尽快有个着落。
She has been looking for a job recently, hoping to find a stable position soon.
14
to be in a hurry or rush; to worry or be anxious
我因为要赶飞机，所以一路上都着忙
I was in a hurry all the way because I needed to catch my flight.
15
To be fascinated, captivated, or obsessed by something or someone.
她对绘画艺术着迷，常常沉浸在自己的创作世界中
She is fascinated by the art of painting, often immersing herself in her own creative world.
More words with 着
- lóng笼zhuó着shǒu手cup one's hands, hold one's hands together
- zhuó着xiǎng想to consider, to think of
- zhuó着shí实indeed, really
- zhuó着shǒu手start, begin
- zhuó着yǎn眼focus on, aim at
- zhuó着zhòng重emphasize, stress
- zhuó着zhuāng装dress, attire
- zhuó着sè色coloring, tinting
- zhuó着yǎn眼yú于focus on, center on
- zhuó着lì力yú于focusing on, concentrating on
- bǎn板zhe着liǎn脸to have a stern face, to frown
- bēi背zhe着bāo包carrying a bag, wearing a backpack
- bēng绷zhe着liǎn脸keep a straight face, wear a poker face
- dīng盯zhe着kàn看stare, gaze
- fù附zhuó着zài在attach to, adhere to
- gān干zháo着jí急To worry in vain, To fret helplessly
- guāng光zhe着jiǎo脚barefoot
- hēng哼zhe着gē歌humming a song, humming a tune
- liú流zhe着lèi泪crying, with tears
- yōu悠zhē着diǎn点Take it easy, Be careful
Idioms with 着
- zhuó着shǒu手chéng成chūn春Miraculous cure or revitalizing touch
- zhuó着shǒu手huí回chūn春restore vitality with superb skill
- bù不zhuó着biān边jì际talk or write irrelevantly
- chuān穿hóng红zhuó着lǜ绿dressed in vibrant and colorful attire
- chuān穿zhuó着dǎ打bàn扮style of dress and appearance
- dà大chù处zhuó着yǎn眼focus on the big picture
- fó佛tóu头zhuó着fèn粪defile the sacred with something vulgar
- gāo高rén人yī一zhe着to be a step ahead
- huái怀zhe着guǐ鬼tāi胎to harbor sinister intentions
- kū哭sang丧zhe着liǎn脸to wear a long face
- lǎo老zhe着liǎn脸pí皮to be shameless or brazen
- mō摸bu不zháo着biān边vague and irrelevant
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Open the tool →Questions about 着
What does 着 mean in Chinese?
着 (zhuó) means “to wear (clothes)” in Chinese.
How do you pronounce 着?
着 has 4 pronunciations: zhuó, zháo, zhāo, zhe.
How many strokes does 着 have?
着 has 12 strokes.
How do you write 着?
着 is written in 12 strokes, starting from the radical 目. See the animated stroke order on this page.
What is the radical of 着?
The radical of 着 is 目.