How to write 电 (diàn, “lightning”)
电 (diàn), an HSK 1 character, means “lightning”, “electricity” and “electric”. The traditional form is 電, 13 strokes instead of 5. On its own it is an HSK 3 word; it also forms 电影 (“movie”), 电脑 (“computer”) and 电视 (“television”). Japanese keeps the traditional 電, read den (“electricity”).
- Pinyin
- diàn
- Strokes
- 5
- HSK
- 1
- Radical
- 曰 (“to speak”)
- Traditional
- 電
Stroke by stroke
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
As an overlapping character it splits into 曰 (“to speak”, the radical), strokes 1–4; 乚 (“hook”), stroke 5, written the first part first.
- top leftdownwards
- top leftrightwards → downwards
- leftrightwards
- bottom leftrightwards
- topdown and right
Traditional form
- Simplified
- 电 · 5 strokes
- Traditional
- 電 · 13 strokes · see its strokes
Trace it
Follow the numbers. Tracing help
Pinyin and meaning
| Pinyin | Meanings | Traditional | In words |
|---|---|---|---|
| diàn fourth tone | lightning; electricity; electric (bound form); to get (or give) an electric shock; phone call or telegram etc | 電 | 电影 电脑 电视 电话 |
- HSK 2025 syllabus
- level 1
- 2021 standard
- level 1
- HSK 2.0
- in a level 1 word
- Words with it
- 494 in CC-CEDICT
Words with 电
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 电 電 | diàn | lightning; electricity HSK 3 |
| 电影 電影 | diànyǐng | movie; film HSK 1 |
| 电脑 電腦 | diànnǎo | computer HSK 1 |
| 电视 電視 | diànshì | television; TV HSK 1 |
| 电话 電話 | diànhuà | telephone; phone call HSK 1 |
| 打电话 打電話 | dǎdiànhuà | to make a telephone call HSK 1 |
| 电影院 電影院 | diànyǐngyuàn | cinema; movie theater HSK 1 |
| 电子书 電子書 | diànzǐshū | electronic book; e-book HSK 3 |
| 电梯 電梯 | diàntī | elevator; escalator HSK 3 |
| 电动车 電動車 | diàndòngchē | electric vehicle… HSK 4 |
HSK words first (CC-CEDICT).
Practice sheet
Print at 100%. Several characters: worksheet maker.
Keep going
HSK 1, in list order: