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求qiúto seek
求 is a single shape of 7 strokes. Learn it whole, then watch its stroke order below.
Memory aidTraditionally said to show a fur coat, now written 裘 (qiú); some scholars see a centipede instead. Today 求 means “to ask for”.
How to write 求
求 7 strokes
Watch the order, then press Try writing it and draw each stroke in the grid. Each stroke is checked as you go.
Stroke order chart for 求 (qiú). Red marks the next stroke, so you can copy it onto paper one step at a time.
求 (qiú) means “to seek” or “to request”. It is an HSK 3.0 Level 6 word.
Say it qiú: qiú with a 2nd tone. Press Listen at the top of this page to hear it, or Slowly to hear each tone clearly.
Yes. 求 is written the same way in Simplified and Traditional characters.
Add a Chinese (Simplified) pinyin keyboard to your phone or computer, type qiu with no tone marks or spaces, then choose 求 from the suggestions. Typing qiu into this dictionary’s search box finds it too.
求 is an HSK 3.0 Level 6 word in the official 2021 syllabus, and it is on our HSK 3.0 Band 3 word list. It is not on the older HSK 2.0 word lists.
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Sources: meaning and pinyin checked by a native Mandarin teacher against the official HSK lists. Extra meanings from CC-CEDICT (CC BY-SA 4.0). Example sentences from Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR). Example sentences written by WillyChina. Character parts and stroke order from Make Me a Hanzi.