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How to write 说 (shuō, “to speak”)

说, an HSK 1 character, is read shuō for “to speak” and “to explain”, and also shuì (“to persuade”). The traditional form is 說, 14 strokes instead of 9. On its own it is an HSK 1 word; it also forms 说话 (“to speak”), 听说 (“to hear”) and 再说 (“to say again”).

Pinyin
shuō, shuì
Strokes
9
HSK
1
Radical
讠 (“speech”)
Traditional
說

Stroke by stroke

  1. 1
  2. 2
  3. 3
  4. 4
  5. 5
  6. 6
  7. 7
  8. 8
  9. 9

As a left-right character it splits into 讠 (“speech”, the radical), strokes 1–2; 兑 (“to cash”), strokes 3–9, written the left part first.

  1. top leftdown and right
  2. leftrightwards → downwards → up and right
  3. topdown and right
  4. top rightdown and right → down and left
  5. topdownwards
  6. toprightwards → down and left
  7. centerrightwards
  8. centerdownwards → down and left
  9. centerdownwards → rightwards → upwards

Names of the strokes

Traditional form

Simplified
说 · 9 strokes
Traditional
說 · 14 strokes · see its strokes

Simplified vs traditional

Trace it

Follow the numbers. Tracing help

Pinyin and meaning

PinyinMeaningsTraditionalIn words
shuō
first tone		to speak; to talk; to say; to explain; to comment; to scold; to tell off; (bound form) theory; doctrine說说话 听说 再说 小说
shuì
fourth tone		to persuade說—
HSK 2025 syllabus
level 1
2021 standard
level 1
HSK 2.0
in a level 1 word
Words with it
227 in CC-CEDICT

Words with 说

WordPinyinMeaning
说 說shuōto speak; to talk HSK 1
说话 說話shuōhuàto speak; to say HSK 1
听说 聽說tīngshuōto hear (sth said); one hears (that) HSK 3
再说 再說zàishuōto say again; to put off a discussion until later HSK 4
小说 小說xiǎoshuōnovel; fiction HSK 4
说明 說明shuōmíngto explain; to illustrate HSK 4
说明书 說明書shuōmíngshū(technical) manual; (book of) directions HSK 4
说法 說法shuōfǎto expound Buddhist teachings HSK 4
说服 說服shuōfúto persuade; to convince HSK 5
据说 據說jùshuōit is said that; reportedly HSK 5

HSK words first (CC-CEDICT).

Practice sheet

Print at 100%. Several characters: worksheet maker.

Keep going

HSK 1, in list order: