从 Stroke Order — How to Write 从
从 is written in 4 strokes, following the standard Chinese stroke order. Start from the radical 人, 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.
从 Radical and Character Components
Components:人
从 is an ideographic compound. One person 人 following another.
Radical: 人 + 2 more strokes
从 Pronunciation and Pinyin
- cóng
Meanings of 从 in Chinese
1
cóng从
To follow; to comply with; to go after.
他决定从大家的意见。
He decided to follow everyone's opinion.
To obey, follow, or comply with; often used in phrases like '顺从' (to be obedient), '盲从' (to blindly follow), or '从善如流' (to readily accept good advice).
他总是从善如流，乐于接受别人的建议。
He always readily accepts good advice and is happy to take others' suggestions.
To adopt, follow, or comply with; often used to indicate a preferential or optimal approach, as in 'from excellence' or 'preferential treatment'.
公司将从优考虑您的申请。
The company will give preferential consideration to your application.
To be engaged in or participate in an activity, profession, or cause.
他大学毕业后，决定从事教育工作。
After graduating from university, he decided to engage in educational work.
Meaning 'from' or 'since', indicating a starting point in time or origin.
从现在起，我们要更加努力。
From now on, we need to work even harder.
Follower; attendant; retinue.
他有很多忠实的随从。
He has many loyal followers.
Refers to a relative who is not a direct immediate family member, such as a paternal uncle (从父).
我的从父明天要来我家做客。
My paternal uncle is coming to visit my home tomorrow.
Secondary or subordinate; accessory.
在这个团队中，他扮演的是从属角色。
In this team, he plays a subordinate role.
In ancient Chinese official ranking systems (from the Wei Dynasty onwards), '从' (cóng) referred to a subordinate or deputy rank, contrasting with '正' (zhèng) for a principal rank. For instance, a Grand Academician of the Longtu Pavilion in the Song Dynasty held the subordinate second rank (从二品).
他的官职为从三品，低于正三品。
His official position was of the subordinate third rank, lower than the principal third rank.
Common Words and Phrases with 从
1
2
from this time/then on; thenceforth
他们相遇后，从此过上了幸福的生活。
After they met, they lived a happy life from then on.
3
From now on; from this point forward.
他决定从此往后每天坚持锻炼，保持健康。
He decided that from now on, he would consistently exercise every day to stay healthy.
4
In a relaxed and unhurried manner, often with plenty of time to spare.
他总是提前计划好一切，所以出门前总能从从容容地喝杯咖啡。
He always plans everything in advance, so he can always unhurriedly enjoy a cup of coffee before leaving.
5
Driven (referring to a machine part moved by another part).
在汽车发动机中，曲轴是主动部件，而凸轮轴则是一个从动部件，由曲轴通过正时链条或皮带带动旋转
In a car engine, the crankshaft is the driving component, while the camshaft is a driven component, rotated by the crankshaft via a timing chain or belt.
6
thus; thereby; as a result; consequently
他每天坚持锻炼身体，从而保持了健康的体魄
He insists on exercising daily, thereby maintaining a healthy physique.
7
An accessory or accomplice in a crime.
盗窃案中的从犯也被判处了有期徒刑。
The accomplice in the theft case was also sentenced to a fixed-term imprisonment.
8
Readily accept sound advice or suggestions; be open to correction.
小明在工作上总是从谏如流，所以他的团队合作非常愉快，项目进展也很顺利。
Xiao Ming is always open to sound suggestions in his work, which leads to very pleasant team collaboration and smooth project progress.
9
To jump into a well to save someone; metaphorically, a foolish act that harms oneself without effectively helping others.
面对滚滚洪水，消防员们毫不犹豫地从井救人，将受困群众安全转移
Facing the raging floodwaters, the firefighters unhesitatingly plunged into the danger to rescue people, safely evacuating the trapped residents.
10
A clause is a group of words containing a subject and a finite verb, typically forming part of a larger sentence.
我喜欢那本你推荐给我的书，它的封面设计很独特。
I like the book that you recommended to me; its cover design is very unique.
11
to enlist; to join the army or military
他从小就对军队生活充满向往，长大后毅然从军。
He had longed for a military life since childhood, and resolutely joined the army when he grew up.
12
always; all along, indicating that a situation or action has been constant from the past to the present.
她对人从来都很友善。
She has always been kind to people.
13
for a prostitute to leave her profession and marry
在...后经历了多年的浮华生活，她最终决定从良，寻得一份安稳的工作，过上寻常人家的日子。
After years of living a glamorous but perhaps unconventional life, she eventually decided to reform and pursue a stable job, settling into a regular, ordinary life.
14
to be omitted; to be deleted or simplified
为了节省篇幅，一些不重要的细节此处从略。
To save space, some unimportant details are omitted here.
15
to obey an order or instruction
你如果有什么吩咐，我定当从命。
If you have any instructions, I will certainly obey.
16
formerly; in the past; once upon a time
从前，这片土地上住着许多小动物
In the past, many small animals lived on this land.
More words with 从
- fú服cóng从obey, submit
- bīn宾cóng从guests and servants
- gēn跟cóng从To follow; to accompany.
- hù扈cóng从attendant, retainer
- shì适cóng从to comply with, to adapt
- shùn顺cóng从Obedience, Submissive
- wú无cóng从no way, have no means
- xié胁cóng从Follow under duress, Coerced participation
- yī依cóng从To comply with or yield to.
- zūn遵cóng从Comply, Obey
- qū屈cóng从submit, yield
- tīng听cóng从obey, comply
- dìng定zòng从Relative Clause, Attributive Clause
- guò过cóng从associate with, have social contact
- máng盲cóng从Blind obedience, Follow blindly
- pú仆cóng从servant, attendant
- rèn任cóng从to allow, to let
- shì侍cóng从attendant, page
- suí随cóng从attendant, follower
- xián贤cóng从Follow the worthy person
Idioms with 从
- cóng从è恶rú如bēng崩evil is easy to descend into
- cóng从hé何shuō说qǐ起Where to begin?
- cóng从kuān宽fā发luò落deal with leniently
- cóng从lìng令rú如liú流obey orders swiftly and completely
- cóng从qīng轻fā发luò落deal with leniently
- cóng从róng容bù不pò迫calm and unhurried
- cóng从róng容jiù就yì义face death calmly for a noble cause
- cóng从róng容yìng应duì对respond calmly and without haste
- cóng从róng容zì自rú如composed, unhurried, and highly proficient
- cóng从róng容zì自ruò若calm and self-possessed
- cóng从shàn善rú如liú流readily accept good advice
- cóng从sú俗jiù就jiǎn简follow common practices and simplify
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Open the tool →Questions about 从
What does 从 mean in Chinese?
从 (cóng) means “To follow” in Chinese.
How do you pronounce 从?
从 is pronounced cóng in Mandarin Chinese.
How many strokes does 从 have?
从 has 4 strokes.
How do you write 从?
从 is written in 4 strokes, starting from the radical 人. See the animated stroke order on this page.
What is the radical of 从?
The radical of 从 is 人, and 从 is an ideographic compound.
