单 (dān) is a Chinese character meaning “single”. It is written from 丷 (two spreading strokes) and 早 (early; morning), one above the other, and takes 8 strokes.
Build the character for “single”
Four steps: break it apart, build it, recall it, use it in a word.
StartLearn this character
Structure
丷 + 早
Top–bottom structure
Structure from: 现代字形拆分，经 hanzi-writer-data 笔画数据核验（丷2画 + 早6画 = 8画；笔画 0–1 为丷的两点，笔画 2–7 与「早」逐笔对应）
Memory aid
Two tiny strokes (丷) sitting on top of 早 "early": one lone figure is up before anyone else — a single one, all by itself.
This is a memory aid, not the historical origin.
Stroke order
8 strokes
In real words
- 单纯dān chúnsimple; pure; merely单 = dān
- 订单dìng dānorder form; purchase order单 = dān
- 买单mǎi dānto pay the bill (at a restaurant)单 = dān
- 单杠dān gànghorizontal bar (gymnastics)单 = dān
- 床单chuáng dānbed sheet单 = dān
- 账单zhàng dānbill; invoice单 = dān
- 单独dān dúalone; by oneself; on one's own单 = dān
- 孤单gū dānlonely; alone单 = dān
Go deeper
All readings
single
single; one; alone; odd (number); simple; a sheet or form (bill, list)
只有一个的；不复杂的。也指记事用的纸片，如账单、清单。 — studyhanzi 编写
Words with this reading
- 单纯dān chúnsimple; pure; merely单 = dān
- 订单dìng dānorder form; purchase order单 = dān
- 买单mǎi dānto pay the bill (at a restaurant)单 = dān
- 单杠dān gànghorizontal bar (gymnastics)单 = dān
- 床单chuáng dānbed sheet单 = dān
- 账单zhàng dānbill; invoice单 = dān
- 单独dān dúalone; by oneself; on one's own单 = dān
- 孤单gū dānlonely; alone单 = dān
Rare readings, not taught: shàn, chán
Stroke data: hanzi-writer-data (Arphic Public License) · licenses & attributions
Questions people ask about this character
What does 单 mean?
单 (dān) means single; one; alone; odd (number); simple; a sheet or form (bill, list).
How do you pronounce 单?
It is pronounced dān.
What parts is 单 made of?
丷 (two spreading strokes) and 早 (early; morning), one above the other. The recorded source is: 现代字形拆分，经 hanzi-writer-data 笔画数据核验（丷2画 + 早6画 = 8画；笔画 0–1 为丷的两点，笔画 2–7 与「早」逐笔对应）. Components are the building blocks of the shape; the radical used for dictionary lookup is a separate thing.
How many strokes does 单 have?
8. You can watch the stroke order on this page, or trace it yourself.
What is the radical of 单?
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 单?
Common ones are 单纯 and 订单. The reading of 单 is not the same in every word, so each word on this page shows which reading applies.