How to write 系 (xì, “system”)
系, an HSK 1 character, is read xì for “system” and “department”, and also jì (“to tie”). In traditional script some of its words keep 系 and others use 係. On its own it is an HSK 5 word; it also forms 没关系 (“it doesn't matter”), 关系 (“relation”) and 联系 (“connection”). Japanese reads it kei, “lineage”, as a JLPT N1 kanji.
- Pinyin
- xì, jì
- Strokes
- 7
- HSK
- 1
- Radical
- 糸 (“fine silk”)
- Traditional
- 係
Stroke by stroke
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
- 7
As a top-bottom character it splits into 丿 (“slash”), stroke 1; 糸 (“fine silk”, the radical), strokes 2–7, written the top first.
- Left-falling stroke ㇒top rightleftwards
- Left-falling-turn ㇜topdown and left → rightwards
- Left-falling-turn ㇜topdown and left → rightwards
- Dot ㇔centerdown and right
- Vertical ㇑centerdownwards → up and left
- Left-falling stroke ㇒bottom leftdown and left
- Dot ㇔bottom rightdown and right
Japanese and Chinese
Japanese and Chinese draw all 7 strokes in the same order and direction, by our stroke-by-stroke comparison.
Traditional form
- Simplified
- 系 · 7 strokes
- Traditional
- 係 · 9 strokes · see its strokes
- Also traditional
- 系 itself, in 125 of its 193 CC-CEDICT words
Trace it
Follow the numbers. Tracing help
Pinyin and meaning
| Pinyin | Meanings | Traditional | In words |
|---|---|---|---|
| xì fourth tone | system; department; faculty; to connect; to relate to | 係 | 联系 系统 体系 系列 |
| jì fourth tone | to tie; to fasten; to button up | — | 系上 |
- HSK 2025 syllabus
- level 1
- 2021 standard
- level 1
- HSK 2.0
- in a level 1 word
- Words with it
- 154 in CC-CEDICT
Words with 系
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 系 繫 | jì | to tie; to fasten HSK 5 |
| 没关系 沒關係 | méiguānxi | it doesn't matter HSK 1 |
| 关系 關係 | guānxì | relation; relationship HSK 3 |
| 联系 聯繫 | liánxì | connection; contact HSK 4 |
| 系统 系統 | xìtǒng | system HSK 5 |
| 体系 體系 | tǐxì | system; setup HSK 6 |
| 系列 | xìliè | series; set HSK 6 |
| 一系列 | yíxìliè | a series of; a string of HSK 6 |
| 大系 | dàxì | compendium |
| 日系 | rìxì | (attributive) of Japanese origin |
HSK words first (CC-CEDICT).
Practice sheet
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Keep going
HSK 1, in list order: