控 (kòng) is a Chinese character meaning “to control”. It is written from 扌 (hand (radical form)) and 空 (empty; sky), side by side, and takes 11 strokes.
Build the character for “to control”
Four steps: break it apart, build it, recall it, use it in a word.
StartLearn this character
Structure
扌 + 空
Left–right structure
Structure from: 说文解字：控，引也。从手空聲
Memory aid
A hand (扌) reaching into empty (空) space to grab the reins: now you are in control.
This is a memory aid, not the historical origin.
Stroke order
11 strokes
In real words
- 控制kòng zhìto control; to keep in check控 = kòng
- 失控shī kòngto lose control; out of control控 = kòng
Go deeper
All readings
to control
to control; to hold in check; to accuse (as in 控告)
掌握、操纵；也指告发。 — studyhanzi 编写
Words with this reading
- 控制kòng zhìto control; to keep in check控 = kòng
- 失控shī kòngto lose control; out of control控 = kòng
Stroke data: hanzi-writer-data (Arphic Public License) · licenses & attributions
Questions people ask about this character
What does 控 mean?
控 (kòng) means to control; to hold in check; to accuse (as in 控告).
How do you pronounce 控?
It is pronounced kòng.
What parts is 控 made of?
扌 (hand (radical form)) and 空 (empty; sky), side by side. The recorded source is: 说文解字：控，引也。从手空聲. Components are the building blocks of the shape; the radical used for dictionary lookup is a separate thing.
How many strokes does 控 have?
11. You can watch the stroke order on this page, or trace it yourself.
What is the radical of 控?
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 控?
Common ones are 控制 and 失控. The reading of 控 is not the same in every word, so each word on this page shows which reading applies.