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.
请qǐngto ask
讠speech form of 言 · yánMeaning part
青blue-green · qīngSound part
讠 hints at the meaning (speech); 青 (qīng) hints at the sound. Compare it with qǐng.
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 请求
请 10 strokes · 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 请求 (qǐngqiú). Red marks the next stroke, so you can copy it onto paper one step at a time.
请求 (qǐngqiú) means “to request” or “to ask”. It is an HSK 5 word.
Say it qǐngqiú: qǐng with a 3rd tone, then qiú with a 2nd 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, 请求 is written 請求. The pronunciation is the same.
Add a Chinese (Simplified) pinyin keyboard to your phone or computer, type qingqiu with no tone marks or spaces, then choose 请求 from the suggestions. Typing qingqiu into this dictionary’s search box finds it too.
请求 is an HSK 5 word in the 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). Character parts and stroke order from Make Me a Hanzi.