索 (suǒ) is a Chinese character meaning “to search”. It is written from 十 (ten) and 冖 (cover) and 糸 (silk; a twisted bundle of fine threads), and takes 10 strokes.
Build the character for “to search; rope”
Four steps: break it apart, build it, recall it, use it in a word.
StartLearn this character
Structure
十 + 冖 + 糸
Top–middle–bottom structure
Structure from: modern glyph split verified against hanzi-writer-data strokes (0–1 十, 2–3 冖, 4–9 糸)
Memory aid
Ten (十) silk threads (糸) are twisted together under a cover (冖) — braided into one strong rope.
This is a memory aid, not the historical origin.
Stroke order
10 strokes
In real words
- 探索tàn suǒto explore; to probe索 = suǒ
- 线索xiàn suǒclue; lead索 = suǒ
- 搜索sōu suǒto search (for)索 = suǒ
- 勒索lè suǒto extort; to blackmail索 = suǒ
Go deeper
All readings
to search; rope
to search; to seek; to ask for; large rope
搜寻、探求；讨取；也指粗绳子。 — studyhanzi 编写
Words with this reading
- 探索tàn suǒto explore; to probe索 = suǒ
- 线索xiàn suǒclue; lead索 = suǒ
- 搜索sōu suǒto search (for)索 = suǒ
- 勒索lè suǒto extort; to blackmail索 = suǒ
Stroke data: hanzi-writer-data (Arphic Public License) · licenses & attributions
Questions people ask about this character
What does 索 mean?
索 (suǒ) means to search; to seek; to ask for; large rope.
How do you pronounce 索?
It is pronounced suǒ.
What parts is 索 made of?
十 (ten) and 冖 (cover) and 糸 (silk; a twisted bundle of fine threads). The recorded source is: modern glyph split verified against hanzi-writer-data strokes (0–1 十, 2–3 冖, 4–9 糸). Components are the building blocks of the shape; the radical used for dictionary lookup is a separate thing.
How many strokes does 索 have?
10. You can watch the stroke order on this page, or trace it yourself.
What is the radical of 索?
糸. 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 索?
Common ones are 探索, 线索, 搜索. The reading of 索 is not the same in every word, so each word on this page shows which reading applies.