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.
正zhèngstraight
一one · yī
止stop · zhǐ
Memory aidPicture a foot 止 heading straight for a line 一: straight, correct.
气qìgas; air
气 is a single shape of 4 strokes. Learn it whole, then watch its stroke order below.
Memory aidDrawn from layers of vapour rising: air, steam, breath.
How to write 正气
正 5 strokes · 气 4 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 正气 (zhèngqì). Red marks the next stroke, so you can copy it onto paper one step at a time.
正气 (zhèngqì) means “integrity” or “righteousness”. It is an HSK 6 word.
Say it zhèngqì: zhèng with a 4th tone, then qì 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, 正气 is written 正氣. The pronunciation is the same.
Add a Chinese (Simplified) pinyin keyboard to your phone or computer, type zhengqi with no tone marks or spaces, then choose 正气 from the suggestions. Typing zhengqi into this dictionary’s search box finds it too.
正气 is an HSK 6 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 written by WillyChina. Character parts and stroke order from Make Me a Hanzi.
正zhèng4th tone, falling
