维 (wéi) is a Chinese character meaning “to hold together”. It is written from 纟 (silk; thread (left-side form)) and 隹 (short-tailed bird), side by side, and takes 11 strokes.
Build the character for “to maintain”
Four steps: break it apart, build it, recall it, use it in a word.
StartLearn this character
Structure
纟 + 隹
Left–right structure
Structure from: 说文解字: 维，车盖维也。从糸隹声
Memory aid
Silk thread (纟) tied around a little bird (隹) holds it in place — 维 means to hold together and maintain.
This is a memory aid, not the historical origin.
Stroke order
11 strokes
In real words
- 维护wéi hùto maintain; to safeguard维 = wéi
- 思维sī wéithinking; way of thinking维 = wéi
- 纤维xiān wéifiber维 = wéi
Go deeper
All readings
to maintain
to hold together; to maintain; to preserve; dimension
连接、系住；保持、维护。也指维度。 — studyhanzi 编写
Words with this reading
- 维护wéi hùto maintain; to safeguard维 = wéi
- 思维sī wéithinking; way of thinking维 = wéi
- 纤维xiān wéifiber维 = wéi
Sound component
隹 family diverged
Stroke data: hanzi-writer-data (Arphic Public License) · licenses & attributions
Questions people ask about this character
What does 维 mean?
维 (wéi) means to hold together; to maintain; to preserve; dimension.
How do you pronounce 维?
It is pronounced wéi.
What parts is 维 made of?
纟 (silk; thread (left-side form)) and 隹 (short-tailed bird), side by side. The recorded source is: 说文解字: 维，车盖维也。从糸隹声. Components are the building blocks of the shape; the radical used for dictionary lookup is a separate thing.
How many strokes does 维 have?
11. You can watch the stroke order on this page, or trace it yourself.
What is the radical of 维?
纟. 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 维?
Common ones are 维护, 思维, 纤维. The reading of 维 is not the same in every word, so each word on this page shows which reading applies.