具 (jù) is a Chinese character meaning “tool”. It is written from 目 (eye) and 一 (one) and 八 (eight), and takes 8 strokes.
Build the character for “tool”
Four steps: break it apart, build it, recall it, use it in a word.
StartLearn this character
Structure
目 + 一 + 八
Top–middle–bottom structure
Structure from: Unicode U+5177 与 hanzi-writer-data 2.0.1 现代字形笔画核验（笔画 1-5 = 目，笔画 6 = 贯通长横 一，笔画 7-8 = 八）；仅记录现代字形拆分，不作字源结论
Memory aid
An eye (目) sits above a long shelf (一), and two legs (八) hold that shelf up — a workbench with everything laid out where you can see it. 具 is the gear you reach for.
This is a memory aid, not the historical origin.
Stroke order
8 strokes
In real words
- 玩具wán jùtoy具 = jù
- 工具gōng jùtool具 = jù
Go deeper
All readings
tool
tool; utensil; implement; to possess, to have
器物、用具；也表示具有、备有。 — studyhanzi 编写
Words with this reading
- 玩具wán jùtoy具 = jù
- 工具gōng jùtool具 = jù
Stroke data: hanzi-writer-data (Arphic Public License) · licenses & attributions
Questions people ask about this character
What does 具 mean?
具 (jù) means tool; utensil; implement; to possess, to have.
How do you pronounce 具?
It is pronounced jù.
What parts is 具 made of?
目 (eye) and 一 (one) and 八 (eight). The recorded source is: Unicode U+5177 与 hanzi-writer-data 2.0.1 现代字形笔画核验（笔画 1-5 = 目，笔画 6 = 贯通长横 一，笔画 7-8 = 八）；仅记录现代字形拆分，不作字源结论. Components are the building blocks of the shape; the radical used for dictionary lookup is a separate thing.
How many strokes does 具 have?
8. You can watch the stroke order on this page, or trace it yourself.
What is the radical of 具?
八. 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 具?
Common ones are 玩具 and 工具. The reading of 具 is not the same in every word, so each word on this page shows which reading applies.