底 (dǐ) is a Chinese character meaning “bottom”. It is written from 广 (wide; dotted cliff radical) and 氐 (base; foundation (used mainly as a sound component)), one enclosing the other, and takes 8 strokes.
Build the character for “bottom”
Four steps: break it apart, build it, recall it, use it in a word.
StartLearn this character
Structure
广 + 氐
Enclosing structure
- 广 wide; dotted cliff radical · guǎng meaning
- 氐 base; foundation (used mainly as a sound component) · dī sound
Structure from: 现代字形拆分，经 hanzi-writer-data 笔画核验（广3 + 氐5 = 底8）；声符读音实测一致（氐 dī / 底 dǐ，仅声调不同）
Memory aid
Under the wide shelter (广) sits 氐 — the sound part, pronounced dī. Look for what is underneath the roof: that is the bottom, dǐ.
This is a memory aid, not the historical origin.
Stroke order
8 strokes
In real words
- 彻底chè dǐthorough; thoroughly; complete底 = dǐ
- 到底dào dǐin the end; after all; to the very end底 = dǐ
- 刨根问底páo gēn wèn dǐto dig up the root and ask to the bottom — to get to the bottom of something底 = dǐ
- 谜底mí dǐanswer to a riddle底 = dǐ
Go deeper
All readings
bottom
bottom; base; the underside of something; the root of a matter
最下面的部分；也指事情的根源或末尾。 — studyhanzi 编写
Words with this reading
- 彻底chè dǐthorough; thoroughly; complete底 = dǐ
- 到底dào dǐin the end; after all; to the very end底 = dǐ
- 刨根问底páo gēn wèn dǐto dig up the root and ask to the bottom — to get to the bottom of something底 = dǐ
- 谜底mí dǐanswer to a riddle底 = dǐ
Sound component
氐 family tone diff
Stroke data: hanzi-writer-data (Arphic Public License) · licenses & attributions
Questions people ask about this character
What does 底 mean?
底 (dǐ) means bottom; base; the underside of something; the root of a matter.
How do you pronounce 底?
It is pronounced dǐ.
What parts is 底 made of?
广 (wide; dotted cliff radical) and 氐 (base; foundation (used mainly as a sound component)), one enclosing the other. The recorded source is: 现代字形拆分，经 hanzi-writer-data 笔画核验（广3 + 氐5 = 底8）；声符读音实测一致（氐 dī / 底 dǐ，仅声调不同）. Components are the building blocks of the shape; the radical used for dictionary lookup is a separate thing.
How many strokes does 底 have?
8. You can watch the stroke order on this page, or trace it yourself.
What is the radical of 底?
广. 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 底?
Common ones are 彻底 and 到底. The reading of 底 is not the same in every word, so each word on this page shows which reading applies.