赵 (zhào) is a Chinese character meaning “Zhao, one of the most common Chinese surnames”. It is written from 走 (to walk; to go) and 乂 (crossing strokes), one enclosing the other, and takes 9 strokes.
Build the character for “Zhao (surname)”
Four steps: break it apart, build it, recall it, use it in a word.
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Structure
走 + 乂
Enclosing structure
Structure from: 现代简化字形拆分 ⿺走乂，以 hanzi-writer-data 笔画核验：笔画 0–6 为「走」（横、竖、横、竖、横、撇、捺，共 7 笔），笔画 7–8 为「乂」（撇、捺，共 2 笔），合计 9 笔；乂 为简化替换记号，不作声符处理
Memory aid
Both parts are really in this character: 走 (to walk) cradles a small crossing mark 乂 in its arm. Picture a family setting out on the road, carrying their crossed banner — 赵 is one of the most common Chinese surnames, and the name of an old state.
This is a memory aid, not the historical origin.
Stroke order
9 strokes
In real words
- 赵国Zhào guóthe State of Zhao (a Warring States kingdom)赵 = zhào
- 老赵Lǎo ZhàoOld Zhao (friendly way to address someone surnamed Zhao)赵 = zhào
Go deeper
All readings
Zhao (surname)
Zhao, one of the most common Chinese surnames; also the name of a Warring States kingdom
汉族常见姓氏之一；也指战国时期的赵国。 — studyhanzi 编写
Words with this reading
- 赵国Zhào guóthe State of Zhao (a Warring States kingdom)赵 = zhào
- 老赵Lǎo ZhàoOld Zhao (friendly way to address someone surnamed Zhao)赵 = zhào
Stroke data: hanzi-writer-data (Arphic Public License) · licenses & attributions
Questions people ask about this character
What does 赵 mean?
赵 (zhào) means Zhao, one of the most common Chinese surnames; also the name of a Warring States kingdom.
How do you pronounce 赵?
It is pronounced zhào.
What parts is 赵 made of?
走 (to walk; to go) and 乂 (crossing strokes), one enclosing the other. The recorded source is: 现代简化字形拆分 ⿺走乂，以 hanzi-writer-data 笔画核验：笔画 0–6 为「走」（横、竖、横、竖、横、撇、捺，共 7 笔），笔画 7–8 为「乂」（撇、捺，共 2 笔），合计 9 笔；乂 为简化替换记号，不作声符处理. Components are the building blocks of the shape; the radical used for dictionary lookup is a separate thing.
How many strokes does 赵 have?
9. You can watch the stroke order on this page, or trace it yourself.
What is the radical of 赵?
走. 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 赵?
Common ones are 赵国 and 老赵. The reading of 赵 is not the same in every word, so each word on this page shows which reading applies.