阅 (yuè) is a Chinese character meaning “to read”. It is written from 门 (door; gate) and 兑 (to exchange; to convert (as in 兑换)), one enclosing the other, and takes 10 strokes.
Build the character for “to read; to review”
Four steps: break it apart, build it, recall it, use it in a word.
StartLearn this character
Structure
门 + 兑
Enclosing structure
Structure from: 说文解字: 閱，具數於門中也。从門，說省聲（现代字形 ⿵门兑，已对照 hanzi-writer-data 笔画核验：门 3 画 + 兑 7 画 = 10 画）
Memory aid
At the gate (门), every item handed over for exchange (兑) is looked over one by one. Going through things carefully like that is 阅: to read, to review.
This is a memory aid, not the historical origin.
Stroke order
10 strokes
In real words
- 阅读yuè dúto read; reading阅 = yuè
- 阅历yuè lìexperience (of life)阅 = yuè
Go deeper
All readings
to read; to review
to read; to look over; to review; to inspect; to experience
看（文字）；查看、检阅。也指经历。 — studyhanzi 编写
Words with this reading
- 阅读yuè dúto read; reading阅 = yuè
- 阅历yuè lìexperience (of life)阅 = yuè
Stroke data: hanzi-writer-data (Arphic Public License) · licenses & attributions
Questions people ask about this character
What does 阅 mean?
阅 (yuè) means to read; to look over; to review; to inspect; to experience.
How do you pronounce 阅?
It is pronounced yuè.
What parts is 阅 made of?
门 (door; gate) and 兑 (to exchange; to convert (as in 兑换)), one enclosing the other. The recorded source is: 说文解字: 閱，具數於門中也。从門，說省聲（现代字形 ⿵门兑，已对照 hanzi-writer-data 笔画核验：门 3 画 + 兑 7 画 = 10 画）. Components are the building blocks of the shape; the radical used for dictionary lookup is a separate thing.
How many strokes does 阅 have?
10. You can watch the stroke order on this page, or trace it yourself.
What is the radical of 阅?
门. 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 阅?
Common ones are 阅读 and 阅历. The reading of 阅 is not the same in every word, so each word on this page shows which reading applies.