How to write 在 (zài, “to exist”)

在 (zài), an HSK 1 character, means “to exist”, “to be at” and “used before a verb”. It pairs a meaning part, 土 (“earth”), with a sound part, 才 (“ability”). On its own it is an HSK 1 word; it also forms 正在 (“to be in the process of”), 现在 (“now”) and 实在 (“really”). Japanese reads it zai, “exist”, as a JLPT N3 kanji.

Pinyin: zài
Strokes: 6
HSK: 1
Radical: 土 (“earth”)

Stroke by stroke

As a top-left cover character it splits into 才 (“ability”), strokes 1–3; 土 (“earth”, the radical), strokes 4–6, written the cover first.

Horizontal ㇐top leftrightwards
Left-falling stroke ㇒topdown and left
Vertical ㇑leftdownwards
Horizontal ㇐centerrightwards
Vertical ㇑centerdownwards
Horizontal ㇐bottom leftrightwards

Names of the strokes

Japanese and Chinese

Japanese and Chinese draw all 6 strokes in the same order and direction, by our stroke-by-stroke comparison.

Japanese · KanjiVG · 6 strokes

Chinese · Make Me a Hanzi · 6 strokes

Where 在 comes from

earth

Meaning part: 土 (“earth”)
Sound part: 才 (“ability”)

Trace it

Follow the numbers. Tracing help

Pinyin and meaning

Pinyin	Meanings	Traditional	In words
zài fourth tone	to exist; to be alive; (of sb or sth) to be (located) at; (used before a verb to indicate an action in progress)	—	正在现在实在在场

HSK 2025 syllabus: level 1
2021 standard: level 1
HSK 2.0: in a level 1 word
Words with it: 150 in CC-CEDICT

Words with 在

Word	Pinyin	Meaning
在	zài	to exist; to be alive HSK 1
正在	zhèngzài	to be in the process of (doing sth); to be currently ...-ing HSK 1
现在現在	xiànzài	now; at present HSK 1
实在實在	shízài	really; actually HSK 4
在场在場	zàichǎng	to be present; to be on the scene HSK 5
在乎	zàihu	to rest with; to lie in HSK 5
在于在於	zàiyú	to rest with; to lie in HSK 5
在内在內	zàinèi	(included) in it; among them HSK 5
在线在線	zàixiàn	online; connected to the Internet HSK 5
存在	cúnzài	to exist; to be HSK 5

HSK words first (CC-CEDICT).

Practice sheet

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Keep going

HSK 1, in list order: