瓷 (cí) is a Chinese character meaning “porcelain”. It is written from 次 (next in order; a time (occurrence)) and 瓦 (roof tile; earthenware), one above the other, and takes 10 strokes.
Build the character for “porcelain; china”
Four steps: break it apart, build it, recall it, use it in a word.
StartLearn this character
Structure
次 + 瓦
Top–bottom structure
Structure from: 说文解字新附: 瓷，瓦器。从瓦次声。现代字形拆分经 hanzi-writer-data 笔画数据核验（次6画 + 瓦4画 = 10画）
Memory aid
Clay ware like a roof tile (瓦), fired again and again — time after time (次) — until it turns into hard, glossy porcelain.
This is a memory aid, not the historical origin.
Stroke order
10 strokes
In real words
- 瓷器cí qìporcelain; chinaware瓷 = cí
- 陶瓷táo cíceramics; pottery and porcelain瓷 = cí
Go deeper
All readings
porcelain; china
porcelain; chinaware — fine ceramic fired at high temperature
用高岭土等烧制成的质地坚硬细密的材料，也指用它做成的器物。 — studyhanzi 编写
Words with this reading
- 瓷器cí qìporcelain; chinaware瓷 = cí
- 陶瓷táo cíceramics; pottery and porcelain瓷 = cí
Stroke data: hanzi-writer-data (Arphic Public License) · licenses & attributions
Questions people ask about this character
What does 瓷 mean?
瓷 (cí) means porcelain; chinaware — fine ceramic fired at high temperature.
How do you pronounce 瓷?
It is pronounced cí.
What parts is 瓷 made of?
次 (next in order; a time (occurrence)) and 瓦 (roof tile; earthenware), one above the other. The recorded source is: 说文解字新附: 瓷，瓦器。从瓦次声。现代字形拆分经 hanzi-writer-data 笔画数据核验（次6画 + 瓦4画 = 10画）. Components are the building blocks of the shape; the radical used for dictionary lookup is a separate thing.
How many strokes does 瓷 have?
10. You can watch the stroke order on this page, or trace it yourself.
What is the radical of 瓷?
瓦. 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 瓷?
Common ones are 瓷器 and 陶瓷. The reading of 瓷 is not the same in every word, so each word on this page shows which reading applies.