How to write 题 (tí, “topic”)

题 (tí), an HSK 1 character, means “topic”, “problem for discussion” and “exam question”. It is HSK 1 in the 2025 syllabus, down from level 2 in the 2021 standard. The traditional form is 題, 18 strokes instead of 15. On its own it is an HSK 2 word; it also forms 问题 (“question”), 难题 (“difficult problem”) and 试题 (“exam question”). Japanese keeps the traditional 題, read dai (“topic”).

Pinyin: tí
Strokes: 15
HSK: 1
Radical: 页 (“page”)
Traditional: 題

Stroke by stroke

As a bottom-left wrap character it splits into 是 (“to be”), strokes 1–9; 页 (“page”, the radical), strokes 10–15, written the wrap first.

top leftdownwards
top leftrightwards → downwards
top leftrightwards
top leftrightwards
leftrightwards
leftdownwards
centerrightwards
leftdown and left
leftdown and right → rightwards
toprightwards
topdown and right → down and left
topdownwards
toprightwards → downwards
topdownwards
rightdown and right

Names of the strokes

Traditional form

Simplified: 题 · 15 strokes
Traditional: 題 · 18 strokes · see its strokes

Simplified vs traditional

Trace it

Follow the numbers. Tracing help

Pinyin and meaning

Pinyin	Meanings	Traditional	In words
tí second tone	topic; problem for discussion; exam question; subject; to inscribe	題	问题难题试题话题

HSK 2025 syllabus: level 1
2021 standard: level 2
HSK 2.0: in a level 2 word
Words with it: 103 in CC-CEDICT

Words with 题

Word	Pinyin	Meaning
题題	tí	topic; problem for discussion HSK 2
问题問題	wèntí	question; problem HSK 1
难题難題	nántí	difficult problem HSK 3
试题試題	shìtí	exam question; test topic HSK 4
话题話題	huàtí	subject; topic HSK 5
主题主題	zhǔtí	theme; subject HSK 5
题目題目	tímù	subject; title HSK 5
标题標題	biāotí	title; heading HSK 5
课题課題	kètí	task; problem HSK 6
专题專題	zhuāntí	specific topic (addressed by a book, lecture, TV program etc)… HSK 6

HSK words first (CC-CEDICT).

Practice sheet

Print at 100%. Several characters: worksheet maker.

Keep going

HSK 1, in list order: