持 (chí) is a Chinese character meaning “to hold (in the hand)”. It is written from 扌 (hand (radical form)) and 寺 (temple; (as a sound part) sì), side by side, and takes 9 strokes.
Build the character for “to hold”
Four steps: break it apart, build it, recall it, use it in a word.
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Structure
扌 + 寺
Left–right structure
Structure from: studyhanzi 现代字形拆分（⿰扌寺），已对照 hanzi-writer-data 笔画核验：左「扌」3 画 + 右「寺」6 画 = 9 画；「扌」为手部，与手的动作相关，「寺 sì」与「持 chí」韵母相同、声母不同，判为声符。只描述今形构成，不追溯上古来源。
Memory aid
A hand (扌) keeps its grip on the temple (寺) gate and will not let go — that is 持, to hold on.
This is a memory aid, not the historical origin.
Stroke order
9 strokes
In real words
- 支持zhī chíto support; to back持 = chí
- 坚持jiān chíto persist; to insist on; to keep on持 = chí
- 扶持fú chíto support; to help sustain; to back up持 = chí
- 挟持xié chíto hold hostage; to seize and control by force持 = chí
Go deeper
All readings
to hold
to hold (in the hand); to keep hold of; to maintain or keep up a state or position
用手拿着、握住；也指保持某种状态或立场不放弃。 — studyhanzi 编写
Words with this reading
- 支持zhī chíto support; to back持 = chí
- 坚持jiān chíto persist; to insist on; to keep on持 = chí
- 扶持fú chíto support; to help sustain; to back up持 = chí
- 挟持xié chíto hold hostage; to seize and control by force持 = chí
Sound component
寺 family onset shift
Stroke data: hanzi-writer-data (Arphic Public License) · licenses & attributions
Questions people ask about this character
What does 持 mean?
持 (chí) means to hold (in the hand); to keep hold of; to maintain or keep up a state or position.
How do you pronounce 持?
It is pronounced chí.
What parts is 持 made of?
扌 (hand (radical form)) and 寺 (temple; (as a sound part) sì), side by side. The recorded source is: studyhanzi 现代字形拆分（⿰扌寺），已对照 hanzi-writer-data 笔画核验：左「扌」3 画 + 右「寺」6 画 = 9 画；「扌」为手部，与手的动作相关，「寺 sì」与「持 chí」韵母相同、声母不同，判为声符。只描述今形构成，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 持 have?
9. You can watch the stroke order on this page, or trace it yourself.
What is the radical of 持?
手. 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 持?
Common ones are 支持 and 坚持. The reading of 持 is not the same in every word, so each word on this page shows which reading applies.