给 (gěi) is a Chinese character meaning “to give”. It is written from 纟 (silk; thread (left-side form)) and 合 (to close; to join together), side by side, and takes 9 strokes.
Build the character for “to give”
Four steps: break it apart, build it, recall it, use it in a word.
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Structure
纟 + 合
Left–right structure
Structure from: 说文解字：给，相足也。从糸合声。现代字形以 hanzi-writer-data 笔画核验：9 画 = 纟 3 画 + 合 6 画；部首取康熙 120 糸部；声符一致度只依据现代读音（合 hé / 给 gěi：声母、韵母、声调均不同）
Memory aid
Tie a silk ribbon (纟) around a box and close it (合) — now it's a gift ready to give. Both parts really are in this character.
This is a memory aid, not the historical origin.
Stroke order
9 strokes
In real words
- 送给sòng gěito give (as a present) to给 = gěi
- 还给huán gěito give back to; to return something to someone给 = gěi
Go deeper
All readings
to give
to give; to let, to allow; for, to (introducing the receiver of an action)
使对方得到；让；也用作介词，引出动作的对象。 — studyhanzi 编写
Words with this reading
- 送给sòng gěito give (as a present) to给 = gěi
- 还给huán gěito give back to; to return something to someone给 = gěi
Rare readings, not taught: jǐ
Stroke data: hanzi-writer-data (Arphic Public License) · licenses & attributions
Questions people ask about this character
What does 给 mean?
给 (gěi) means to give; to let, to allow; for, to (introducing the receiver of an action).
How do you pronounce 给?
It is pronounced gěi.
What parts is 给 made of?
纟 (silk; thread (left-side form)) and 合 (to close; to join together), side by side. The recorded source is: 说文解字：给，相足也。从糸合声。现代字形以 hanzi-writer-data 笔画核验：9 画 = 纟 3 画 + 合 6 画；部首取康熙 120 糸部；声符一致度只依据现代读音（合 hé / 给 gěi：声母、韵母、声调均不同）. Components are the building blocks of the shape; the radical used for dictionary lookup is a separate thing.
How many strokes does 给 have?
9. You can watch the stroke order on this page, or trace it yourself.
What is the radical of 给?
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 给?
Common ones are 送给 and 还给. The reading of 给 is not the same in every word, so each word on this page shows which reading applies.