止
contributes the sense of a foot · Kangxi radical 77
contributes the sense of a foot, and by extension walking, arriving, and halting; it also serves as the sound zhǐ/chǐ in many characters
止 began as a picture of a foot seen from above or the print it leaves: a heel with toes spreading off one side. In the modern shape you can still read it as a foot planted on the ground — the long horizontal stroke at the bottom is the sole, the vertical is the leg or middle toe, and the short stroke jutting out to the left is the other toes. Because a foot both moves and stops, characters built on 止 point to walking and position: 步 stacks two 止 for one step after another, 趾 adds the flesh-and-body sense for 'toe', and 正 shows a foot heading straight for a place. In 址, 芷, 祉 and 耻 the 止 is there mainly for its sound.
止 at a glance
- Meaning
- contributes the sense of a foot
- Strokes
- 4
- Characters
- 26
- Role
- Usually contributes meaning
- Kangxi radical
- 77
Characters with 止 (21 of 26)
HSK 5 · 2
HSK 6 · 5
Frequently asked questions
What does the component 止 mean?
止 means "contributes the sense of a foot". In the characters that contain it, it usually contributes meaning.
How many Chinese characters contain 止?
26 characters in this dictionary contain 止, including ones at HSK 2, HSK 4, HSK 5, HSK 6.
Is 止 a radical?
Yes — 止 is Kangxi radical 77, one of the 214 traditional indexing radicals used to organise Chinese dictionaries.
How many strokes does 止 have?
止 is written in 4 strokes.