宜 (yí) is a Chinese character meaning “suitable”. It is written from 宀 (roof) and 且 (moreover; for the time being), one above the other, and takes 8 strokes.
Build the character for “suitable”
Four steps: break it apart, build it, recall it, use it in a word.
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Structure
宀 + 且
Top–bottom structure
Structure from: studyhanzi 现代字形拆分（⿱宀且），已对照 hanzi-writer-data 笔画核验：上「宀」3 画 + 下「且」5 画 = 8 画。只描述今形构成；两个部件在本字中的表意或表音作用无可追溯依据，故 role 留空为 unknown，不追溯上古来源。
Memory aid
Under a roof (宀), a stack of shelves (且) with everything resting in its own place — nothing crowded, nothing missing. That is 宜: just right, suitable.
This is a memory aid, not the historical origin.
Stroke order
8 strokes
In real words
- 便宜pián yícheap; inexpensive宜 = yíspoken aspián yiHSK 2
- 适宜shì yísuitable; appropriate宜 = yí
Go deeper
All readings
suitable
suitable; appropriate; fitting; ought to; should
合适、适当。也表示应当。 — studyhanzi 编写
Words with this reading
- 便宜pián yícheap; inexpensive宜 = yíspoken aspián yiHSK 2
- 适宜shì yísuitable; appropriate宜 = yí
Stroke data: hanzi-writer-data (Arphic Public License) · licenses & attributions
Questions people ask about this character
What does 宜 mean?
宜 (yí) means suitable; appropriate; fitting; ought to; should.
How do you pronounce 宜?
It is pronounced yí.
What parts is 宜 made of?
宀 (roof) and 且 (moreover; for the time being), one above the other. The recorded source is: studyhanzi 现代字形拆分（⿱宀且），已对照 hanzi-writer-data 笔画核验：上「宀」3 画 + 下「且」5 画 = 8 画。只描述今形构成；两个部件在本字中的表意或表音作用无可追溯依据，故 role 留空为 unknown，不追溯上古来源。. Components are the building blocks of the shape; the radical used for dictionary lookup is a separate thing.
How many strokes does 宜 have?
8. You can watch the stroke order on this page, or trace it yourself.
What is the radical of 宜?
宀. 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 宜?
Common ones are 便宜 and 适宜. The reading of 宜 is not the same in every word, so each word on this page shows which reading applies.