How to write 正 (zhèng, “to correct”)

正, an HSK 1 character, is read zhèng for “to correct” and “straight”, and also zhēng (“first month of the lunar year”). As a top-bottom character it splits into 一 (“one”), stroke 1; 止 (“to stop”, the radical), strokes 2–5, written the top first. On its own it is an HSK 2 word; it also forms 正在 (“to be in the process of”), 正好 (“just”) and 正常 (“normal”). Japanese reads it sei, “correct”, as a JLPT N4 kanji.

Pinyin

zhèng, zhēng

Strokes

5

HSK

1

Radical

止 (“to stop”)