资 (zī) is a Chinese character meaning “money”. It is written from 次 (next in order; a time (occurrence)) and 贝 (shell), one above the other, and takes 10 strokes.
Build the character for “funds; resources”
Four steps: break it apart, build it, recall it, use it in a word.
StartLearn this character
Structure
次 + 贝
Top–bottom structure
Structure from: 说文解字：资，货也。从贝次声；studyhanzi 现代字形拆分（对照 hanzi-writer-data 10 笔核验：次 6 笔 + 贝 4 笔）
Memory aid
次 ("next in turn") sits on top of 贝, the cowrie shell once used as money. Shells saved one lot after the next add up to funds — 资. 次 (cì) is also a sound hint for zī.
This is a memory aid, not the historical origin.
Stroke order
10 strokes
In real words
- 工资gōng zīwages; salary资 = zī
- 资料zī liàodata; information; materials资 = zī
Go deeper
All readings
funds; resources
money; funds; capital; resources; materials; qualifications
钱财、费用；可供利用的物质或材料；也指资格、资历。 — studyhanzi 编写
Words with this reading
- 工资gōng zīwages; salary资 = zī
- 资料zī liàodata; information; materials资 = zī
Sound component
次 family onset shift
Stroke data: hanzi-writer-data (Arphic Public License) · licenses & attributions
Questions people ask about this character
What does 资 mean?
资 (zī) means money; funds; capital; resources; materials; qualifications.
How do you pronounce 资?
It is pronounced zī.
What parts is 资 made of?
次 (next in order; a time (occurrence)) and 贝 (shell), one above the other. The recorded source is: 说文解字：资，货也。从贝次声；studyhanzi 现代字形拆分（对照 hanzi-writer-data 10 笔核验：次 6 笔 + 贝 4 笔）. Components are the building blocks of the shape; the radical used for dictionary lookup is a separate thing.
How many strokes does 资 have?
10. You can watch the stroke order on this page, or trace it yourself.
What is the radical of 资?
贝. 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 资?
Common ones are 工资 and 资料. The reading of 资 is not the same in every word, so each word on this page shows which reading applies.