How to write 语 (yǔ, “language”)
语 (yǔ), an HSK 1 character, means “language”, “dialect” and “speech”. The traditional form is 語, 14 strokes instead of 9. Among the HSK words it appears in 汉语 (“Chinese language”), 外语 (“foreign language”) and 语言 (“language”). Japanese keeps the traditional 語, read go (“word”).
- Pinyin
- yǔ
- Strokes
- 9
- HSK
- 1
- Radical
- 讠 (“speech”)
- Traditional
- 語
Stroke by stroke
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
- 7
- 8
- 9
As a left-right character it splits into 讠 (“speech”, the radical), strokes 1–2; 吾 (“I”), strokes 3–9, written the left part first.
- top leftdown and right
- leftrightwards → downwards → up and right
- toprightwards
- topdown and right → downwards
- toprightwards → downwards
- leftrightwards
- centerdownwards
- centerrightwards → down and left
- bottomrightwards
Traditional form
- Simplified
- 语 · 9 strokes
- Traditional
- 語 · 14 strokes · see its strokes
Trace it
Follow the numbers. Tracing help
Pinyin and meaning
| Pinyin | Meanings | Traditional | In words |
|---|---|---|---|
| yǔ third tone | language; dialect; speech | 語 | 汉语 外语 语言 口语 |
- HSK 2025 syllabus
- level 1
- 2021 standard
- level 1
- HSK 2.0
- in a level 1 word
- Words with it
- 289 in CC-CEDICT
Words with 语
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 汉语 漢語 | Hànyǔ | Chinese language HSK 1 |
| 外语 外語 | wàiyǔ | foreign language HSK 3 |
| 语言 語言 | yǔyán | language HSK 3 |
| 口语 口語 | kǒuyǔ | colloquial speech; spoken language HSK 4 |
| 词语 詞語 | cíyǔ | word (general term including monosyllables through to short phrases)… HSK 4 |
| 语法 語法 | yǔfǎ | grammar; (computing) syntax HSK 4 |
| 语文 語文 | yǔwén | literature and language; (PRC) Chinese HSK 5 |
| 语气 語氣 | yǔqì | tone; manner of speaking HSK 5 |
| 语音 語音 | yǔyīn | speech sounds; pronunciation HSK 5 |
| 成语 成語 | chéngyǔ | Chinese set expression, typically of 4 characters, often alluding to… HSK 6 |
HSK words first (CC-CEDICT).
Practice sheet
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HSK 1, in list order: