川 Stroke Order — How to Write 川
川 is written in 3 strokes, following the standard Chinese stroke order. Start from the radical 川, 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.
川 Radical and Character Components
Components:丿丨
川 is an ideographic compound. A river's flow; compare 巛.
Radical: 川 + 0 more strokes
川 Pronunciation and Pinyin
- chuān
Meanings of 川 in Chinese
1
chuān川
River; a plain. Often used in phrases like '名山大川' (famous mountains and great rivers) or '川流不息' (ceaseless flow).
假日期间，景区门口游客川流不息
During holidays, tourists flow endlessly at the entrance of the scenic spot.
Plain; flat land.
一望无际的平川上，小麦随风起伏。
On the boundless plain, wheat undulates with the wind.
Refers to Sichuan province; often used in terms like Sichuan opera (川剧), Sichuan cuisine (川菜), or Sichuan fritillary (川贝).
这家餐馆的川菜很地道，味道香辣可口。
The Sichuan cuisine at this restaurant is very authentic, with a fragrant and spicy taste.
Common Words and Phrases with 川
1
Tendrilleaf fritillary bulb, an herb used in Traditional Chinese Medicine.
我妈妈经常用川贝来炖汤，据说对止咳化痰很有帮助。
My mother often uses Chuanbei to stew soup, which is said to be very helpful for relieving coughs and reducing phlegm.
2
Sichuan cuisine, known for its bold, spicy, and numbing flavors, is one of the most famous and distinctive Chinese culinary traditions.
我最喜欢吃川菜，特别是麻婆豆腐和水煮鱼，味道浓郁又开胃。
I enjoy Sichuan cuisine the most, especially Mapo Tofu and Poached Sliced Fish in Hot Chili Oil, as their flavors are rich and appetizing.
3
Sichuan opera, a traditional Chinese opera popular in Sichuan province and parts of Guizhou and Yunnan.
昨晚我去看了一场精彩的川剧表演，演员的变脸技巧令人赞叹。
Last night I watched a wonderful Sichuan Opera performance, and the actors' face-changing skills were amazing.
4
Chuanjun refers to rhubarb (Rheum palmatum), a potent laxative, with the best quality traditionally coming from Sichuan Province.
中医常常用川军来治疗便秘。
Traditional Chinese medicine often uses 'Chuanjun' (rhubarb) to treat constipation.
5
flowing past in an endless stream; never-ending (e.g., of people or vehicles)
这条商业街车水马龙，行人川流不息，非常热闹。
This commercial street is bustling with traffic, and pedestrians are in a continuous stream, making it very lively.
6
travelling expenses
他省吃俭用，终于攒够了回家的川资。
He saved money by being frugal and finally accumulated enough travel expenses to go home.
More words with 川
- bīng冰chuān川glacier
- shān山chuān川mountains and rivers; landscape
- sì四chuān川Sichuan
- hé河chuān川a general term for rivers
- yín银chuān川Yinchuan
- cháng常chuān川Changchuan
- lín临chuān川Linchuan
- pán盘chuān川Travelling expenses.
- píng平chuān川level land
- cháng长chuān川long river; constantly
- mǐ米liáng粮chuān川A rich rice-producing area.
- chuān川xiōng芎Sichuan Lovage Rhizome, Rhizoma Chuanxiong
- sì四chuān川shěng省Sichuan Province, Sichuan
- bǎi百chuān川all rivers, myriad rivers
- chuān川shuǐ水river water, stream water
- sì四chuān川cài菜Sichuan cuisine, Sichuan food
- shān山chuān川xiù秀lì丽Beautiful mountains and rivers, Picturesque landscapes
- wěi洧chuān川Weichuan, Weichuan Town
- lǚ侣shān山chuān川Mountain and River Companion, Companion of Mountains and Rivers
- wěi洧chuān川zhèn镇Weichuan Town, Weichuan Zhen
Idioms with 川
- bá跋lǚ履shān山chuān川trek over mountains and rivers
- bá跋shān山shè涉chuān川travel over mountains and rivers
- bá跋shè涉shān山chuān川trudge over mountains and rivers
- bǎi百chuān川guī归hǎi海All rivers run into the sea
- bǎi百èr二shān山chuān川impregnable stronghold with rugged terrain
- hǔ虎luò落píng平chuān川powerful person losing power or advantage
- míng名shān山dà大chuān川famous mountains and great rivers
- míng名shān山shèng胜chuān川famous mountains and scenic rivers
- yī一mǎ马píng平chuān川a vast, unobstructed expanse of flat land
- chuān川zé泽nà纳wū污broad-minded and tolerant
- bǎi百chuān川fù赴hǎi海all rivers flow to the sea
- hǎi海nà纳bǎi百chuān川Embrace all rivers; be inclusive and open-minded
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Open the tool →Questions about 川
What does 川 mean in Chinese?
川 (chuān) means “River” in Chinese.
How do you pronounce 川?
川 is pronounced chuān in Mandarin Chinese.
How many strokes does 川 have?
川 has 3 strokes.
How do you write 川?
川 is written in 3 strokes, starting from the radical 川. See the animated stroke order on this page.
What is the radical of 川?
The radical of 川 is 川, and 川 is an ideographic compound.