座 (zuò) is a Chinese character meaning “seat”. It is written from 广 (wide; dotted cliff radical) and 坐 (to sit), one enclosing the other, and takes 10 strokes.
Build the character for “seat”
Four steps: break it apart, build it, recall it, use it in a word.
StartLearn this character
Structure
广 + 坐
Enclosing structure
Structure from: 现代简化字形拆分（hanzi-writer-data 笔画核验：0-2 广 / 3-9 坐）
Memory aid
A wide roof (广) sheltering someone who sits (坐) — under the roof is a place to sit: a seat. Both parts really are in this character.
This is a memory aid, not the historical origin.
Stroke order
10 strokes
In real words
- 座位zuò wèiseat座 = zuò
- 讲座jiǎng zuòlecture; course of lectures座 = zuò
- 座右铭zuò yòu míngmotto; maxim one lives by座 = zuò
Go deeper
All readings
seat
seat; stand, base; measure word for mountains, buildings, bridges, etc.
供人坐的位置；器物底下的托子；量词，用于山、建筑、桥梁等较大或固定的物体。 — studyhanzi 编写
Words with this reading
- 座位zuò wèiseat座 = zuò
- 讲座jiǎng zuòlecture; course of lectures座 = zuò
- 座右铭zuò yòu míngmotto; maxim one lives by座 = zuò
Stroke data: hanzi-writer-data (Arphic Public License) · licenses & attributions
Questions people ask about this character
What does 座 mean?
座 (zuò) means seat; stand, base; measure word for mountains, buildings, bridges, etc..
How do you pronounce 座?
It is pronounced zuò.
What parts is 座 made of?
广 (wide; dotted cliff radical) and 坐 (to sit), one enclosing the other. The recorded source is: 现代简化字形拆分（hanzi-writer-data 笔画核验：0-2 广 / 3-9 坐）. Components are the building blocks of the shape; the radical used for dictionary lookup is a separate thing.
How many strokes does 座 have?
10. You can watch the stroke order on this page, or trace it yourself.
What is the radical of 座?
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 座?
Common ones are 座位 and 讲座. The reading of 座 is not the same in every word, so each word on this page shows which reading applies.