征 (zhēng) is a Chinese character meaning “to go on a long journey”. It is written from 彳 (a short step; the “double-person” left side) and 正 (upright; straight; correct), side by side, and takes 8 strokes.
Build the character for “to set out on an expedition”
Four steps: break it apart, build it, recall it, use it in a word.
StartLearn this character
Structure
彳 + 正
Left–right structure
- 彳 a short step; the “double-person” left side · chì meaning
- 正 upright; straight; correct · zhèng sound
Structure from: 说文解字·辵部：「正行也。从辵，正聲。」征為其或體，从彳正聲；并以 hanzi-writer-data 笔画核验（彳3画 + 正5画 = 8画）
Memory aid
彳 is a step taken on the road, and 正 is straight and upright. Walk straight out onto the road and keep going — that is 征, to set out on a long march.
This is a memory aid, not the historical origin.
Stroke order
8 strokes
In real words
- 征服zhēng fúto conquer; to subdue; to win over征 = zhēng
- 征兆zhēng zhàosign; indication; portent征 = zhēng
Go deeper
All readings
to journey; to conquer; a sign
to go on a long journey; to go on a military expedition; to levy or conscript; a sign or indication
远行；出兵讨伐；由国家征收、征召。也指显露出来的迹象、征候。 — studyhanzi 编写
Words with this reading
- 征服zhēng fúto conquer; to subdue; to win over征 = zhēng
- 征兆zhēng zhàosign; indication; portent征 = zhēng
Origin
The Shuowen Jiezi glosses this word as "to walk straight ahead", written with a movement element plus 正 for the sound; 征 is the listed variant that uses 彳, the step radical, as its meaning part. 正 (zhèng) still gives the reading — only the tone has shifted.
Source: 说文解字·辵部：「正行也。从辵，正聲。」征為其或體，从彳正聲
Sound component
正 family tone diff
Stroke data: hanzi-writer-data (Arphic Public License) · licenses & attributions
Questions people ask about this character
What does 征 mean?
征 (zhēng) means to go on a long journey; to go on a military expedition; to levy or conscript; a sign or indication.
How do you pronounce 征?
It is pronounced zhēng.
What parts is 征 made of?
彳 (a short step; the “double-person” left side) and 正 (upright; straight; correct), side by side. The recorded source is: 说文解字·辵部：「正行也。从辵，正聲。」征為其或體，从彳正聲；并以 hanzi-writer-data 笔画核验（彳3画 + 正5画 = 8画）. Components are the building blocks of the shape; the radical used for dictionary lookup is a separate thing.
How many strokes does 征 have?
8. You can watch the stroke order on this page, or trace it yourself.
What is the radical of 征?
彳. 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 征?
Common ones are 征服 and 征兆. The reading of 征 is not the same in every word, so each word on this page shows which reading applies.