Each colour is one part of the character. Parts repeat across thousands of characters, so learning them makes new words easier. See all 214 in our radicals chart.
电diànlightning
曰say · yuē
乚second (cyclical) form of 乙 · yǐ
Memory aidSimplified from 電: lightning under the rain 雨: electricity.
视shìto look at
礻sign form of 示 · shìSound part
见to see · jiànMeaning part
见 hints at the meaning (to see); 礻 (shì) hints at the sound. Compare it with shì.
How to write 电视
电 5 strokes · 视 8 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 电视 (diànshì). Red marks the next stroke, so you can copy it onto paper one step at a time.
电视 (diànshì) means “television” or “TV”. It is an HSK 1 word, so it is one of the words learners meet early.
Say it diànshì: diàn with a 4th tone, then shì with a 4th tone. Press Listen at the top of this page to hear it, or Slowly to hear each tone clearly.
In Traditional characters, used in Taiwan and Hong Kong, 电视 is written 電視. The pronunciation is the same.
Use 台 (tái) or 部 (bù). For example, one television is 一台电视 (yì tái diànshì).
Add a Chinese (Simplified) pinyin keyboard to your phone or computer, type dianshi with no tone marks or spaces, then choose 电视 from the suggestions. Typing dianshi into this dictionary’s search box finds it too.
电视 is an HSK 1 word in the HSK 2.0 word lists.
Turn words into conversations
A dictionary gives you the words. A native teacher shows you how to use them. Start with a free 30-minute intro call.
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). Character parts and stroke order from Make Me a Hanzi.
电diàn4th tone, falling
