关 (guān) is a Chinese character meaning “to close”. It is written from 丷 (two spreading strokes) and 天 (sky; heaven; day), one above the other, and takes 6 strokes.
Build the character for “to close”
Four steps: break it apart, build it, recall it, use it in a word.
StartLearn this character
Structure
丷 + 天
Top–bottom structure
Structure from: studyhanzi 现代字形拆分（对照 hanzi-writer-data 笔顺：第1–2笔为丷，第3–6笔为天，合计6画）
Memory aid
Two short strokes (丷) lie across the sky (天) like a bar dropped over a gate — the way is shut. That is 关: to close.
This is a memory aid, not the historical origin.
Stroke order
6 strokes
In real words
- 关闭guān bìto close; to shut down关 = guān
- 关于guān yúabout; concerning关 = guān
- 关卡guān qiǎcheckpoint; barrier post关 = guān
- 关怀guān huáito show care and concern for关 = guān
- 关系guān xìrelationship; connection关 = guān
- 没关系méi guān xìit doesn't matter; never mind关 = guānspoken asméi guān xiHSK 1
- 玄关xuán guānentryway; foyer关 = guān
Go deeper
All readings
to close
to close; to shut; to switch off; to concern; a pass or barrier
使开着的东西合上；也指切断电流、涉及，或指关口。 — studyhanzi 编写
Words with this reading
- 关闭guān bìto close; to shut down关 = guān
- 关于guān yúabout; concerning关 = guān
- 关卡guān qiǎcheckpoint; barrier post关 = guān
- 关怀guān huáito show care and concern for关 = guān
- 关系guān xìrelationship; connection关 = guān
- 没关系méi guān xìit doesn't matter; never mind关 = guānspoken asméi guān xiHSK 1
- 玄关xuán guānentryway; foyer关 = guān
Stroke data: hanzi-writer-data (Arphic Public License) · licenses & attributions
Questions people ask about this character
What does 关 mean?
关 (guān) means to close; to shut; to switch off; to concern; a pass or barrier.
How do you pronounce 关?
It is pronounced guān.
What parts is 关 made of?
丷 (two spreading strokes) and 天 (sky; heaven; day), one above the other. The recorded source is: studyhanzi 现代字形拆分（对照 hanzi-writer-data 笔顺：第1–2笔为丷，第3–6笔为天，合计6画）. Components are the building blocks of the shape; the radical used for dictionary lookup is a separate thing.
How many strokes does 关 have?
6. You can watch the stroke order on this page, or trace it yourself.
What is the radical of 关?
丷. 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 关?
Common ones are 关闭 and 关于. The reading of 关 is not the same in every word, so each word on this page shows which reading applies.