弛 (chí) is a Chinese character meaning “to loosen”. It is written from 弓 (bow) and 也 (also; too), side by side, and takes 6 strokes.
Build the character for “to slacken”
Four steps: break it apart, build it, recall it, use it in a word.
StartLearn this character
Structure
弓 + 也
Left–right structure
Structure from: 说文解字：弛，弓解也。从弓从也。
Memory aid
A bow (弓) on the left with 也 riding along on the right. Picture the bow put down and its string let out — the tension goes, and that is 弛: to slacken.
This is a memory aid, not the historical origin.
Stroke order
6 strokes
In real words
- 松弛sōng chíslack; loose; relaxed弛 = chí
- 弛缓chí huǎnto ease up; to relax; to slacken弛 = chí
Go deeper
All readings
to slacken
to loosen; to slacken; to relax (a bowstring, tension, or discipline)
放松，使不紧张。本指把弓弦放松。 — studyhanzi 编写
Words with this reading
- 松弛sōng chíslack; loose; relaxed弛 = chí
- 弛缓chí huǎnto ease up; to relax; to slacken弛 = chí
Stroke data: hanzi-writer-data (Arphic Public License) · licenses & attributions
Questions people ask about this character
What does 弛 mean?
弛 (chí) means to loosen; to slacken; to relax (a bowstring, tension, or discipline).
How do you pronounce 弛?
It is pronounced chí.
What parts is 弛 made of?
弓 (bow) and 也 (also; too), side by side. The recorded source is: 说文解字：弛，弓解也。从弓从也。. Components are the building blocks of the shape; the radical used for dictionary lookup is a separate thing.
How many strokes does 弛 have?
6. You can watch the stroke order on this page, or trace it yourself.
What is the radical of 弛?
弓. 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 弛?
Common ones are 松弛 and 弛缓. The reading of 弛 is not the same in every word, so each word on this page shows which reading applies.