钟 (zhōng) is a Chinese character meaning “bell”. It is written from 钅 (metal radical (left-side form of 金)) and 中 (middle; center), side by side, and takes 9 strokes.
Build the character for “bell; clock”
Four steps: break it apart, build it, recall it, use it in a word.
StartLearn this character
Structure
钅 + 中
Left–right structure
Structure from: 现代字形拆分（对照 hanzi-writer-data 笔画核验：钅 5 画 + 中 4 画 = 9 画；右侧 中 zhōng 与本字读音一致，作声符）
Memory aid
钅 on the left is the metal radical — whatever this is, it is made of metal. 中 on the right is here for the sound: it is read zhōng, exactly like this character. A metal thing you strike in the middle of the courtyard: a bell — and later, the clock that took over its job of announcing the hour.
This is a memory aid, not the historical origin.
Stroke order
9 strokes
In real words
- 闹钟nào zhōngalarm clock钟 = zhōng
- 分钟fēn zhōngminute钟 = zhōng
- 秒钟miǎo zhōngsecond (of time)钟 = zhōng
Go deeper
All readings
bell; clock
bell; clock; o'clock; (a length of) clock time
金属制的响器；计时的器具；也指钟点时间。 — studyhanzi 编写
Words with this reading
- 闹钟nào zhōngalarm clock钟 = zhōng
- 分钟fēn zhōngminute钟 = zhōng
- 秒钟miǎo zhōngsecond (of time)钟 = zhōng
Stroke data: hanzi-writer-data (Arphic Public License) · licenses & attributions
Questions people ask about this character
What does 钟 mean?
钟 (zhōng) means bell; clock; o'clock; (a length of) clock time.
How do you pronounce 钟?
It is pronounced zhōng.
What parts is 钟 made of?
钅 (metal radical (left-side form of 金)) and 中 (middle; center), side by side. The recorded source is: 现代字形拆分（对照 hanzi-writer-data 笔画核验：钅 5 画 + 中 4 画 = 9 画；右侧 中 zhōng 与本字读音一致，作声符）. Components are the building blocks of the shape; the radical used for dictionary lookup is a separate thing.
How many strokes does 钟 have?
9. You can watch the stroke order on this page, or trace it yourself.
What is the radical of 钟?
金. 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 钟?
Common ones are 闹钟 and 分钟. The reading of 钟 is not the same in every word, so each word on this page shows which reading applies.