严 (yán) is a Chinese character meaning “strict”. It is written from 一 (one) and 业 (trade; occupation) and 丿 (left-falling stroke), and takes 7 strokes.
Build the character for “strict”
Four steps: break it apart, build it, recall it, use it in a word.
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Structure
一 + 业 + 丿
Top–middle–bottom structure
Structure from: 现代字形拆分（逐笔对照 hanzi-writer-data 严 的 7 笔核验：第1笔为顶横，第2–6笔与「业」笔序笔形一致，第7笔为长撇）
Memory aid
A flat bar (一) clamped down over the work (业), with one long stroke (丿) sweeping past the side — nothing is allowed to move. That is what strict feels like.
This is a memory aid, not the historical origin.
Stroke order
7 strokes
In real words
- 严厉yán lìstern; strict; severe严 = yán
- 庄严zhuāng yánsolemn; dignified严 = yán
- 严峻yán jùngrim; severe; serious (of a situation or challenge)严 = yán
- 严肃yán sùserious; solemn; grave严 = yán
Go deeper
All readings
strict
strict; stern; severe; tight; solemn
紧密，没有空隙；也指要求高、不放松。 — studyhanzi 编写
Words with this reading
- 严厉yán lìstern; strict; severe严 = yán
- 庄严zhuāng yánsolemn; dignified严 = yán
- 严峻yán jùngrim; severe; serious (of a situation or challenge)严 = yán
- 严肃yán sùserious; solemn; grave严 = yán
Stroke data: hanzi-writer-data (Arphic Public License) · licenses & attributions
Questions people ask about this character
What does 严 mean?
严 (yán) means strict; stern; severe; tight; solemn.
How do you pronounce 严?
It is pronounced yán.
What parts is 严 made of?
一 (one) and 业 (trade; occupation) and 丿 (left-falling stroke). The recorded source is: 现代字形拆分（逐笔对照 hanzi-writer-data 严 的 7 笔核验：第1笔为顶横，第2–6笔与「业」笔序笔形一致，第7笔为长撇）. Components are the building blocks of the shape; the radical used for dictionary lookup is a separate thing.
How many strokes does 严 have?
7. You can watch the stroke order on this page, or trace it yourself.
What is the radical of 严?
一. The radical is how the character is filed in a dictionary — it is not the whole story of how the character is built.
What words use 严?
Common ones are 严厉 and 庄严. The reading of 严 is not the same in every word, so each word on this page shows which reading applies.