侧 (cè) is a Chinese character meaning “side”. It is written from 亻 (person (the form 人 takes on the left)) and 则 (rule; then), side by side, and takes 8 strokes.
Build the character for “side”
Four steps: break it apart, build it, recall it, use it in a word.
StartLearn this character
Structure
亻 + 则
Left–right structure
Structure from: modern-glyph decomposition (IDS ⿰亻则; 则 = ⿰贝刂), cross-checked against hanzi-writer-data stroke counts 2+6=8
Memory aid
A person (亻) who steps off the straight rule (则) leans off to one side. Both parts really are in this character: 侧 is the side you turn to.
This is a memory aid, not the historical origin.
Stroke order
8 strokes
In real words
- 侧面cè miànthe side; a profile view侧 = cè
- 左侧zuǒ cèthe left side; on the left侧 = cè
Go deeper
All readings
side
side; flank; to lean to one side; to turn sideways
旁边；边上。也表示身体或物体向一边倾斜。 — studyhanzi 编写
Words with this reading
- 侧面cè miànthe side; a profile view侧 = cè
- 左侧zuǒ cèthe left side; on the left侧 = cè
Rare readings, not taught: zhāi, zè
Stroke data: hanzi-writer-data (Arphic Public License) · licenses & attributions
Questions people ask about this character
What does 侧 mean?
侧 (cè) means side; flank; to lean to one side; to turn sideways.
How do you pronounce 侧?
It is pronounced cè.
What parts is 侧 made of?
亻 (person (the form 人 takes on the left)) and 则 (rule; then), side by side. The recorded source is: modern-glyph decomposition (IDS ⿰亻则; 则 = ⿰贝刂), cross-checked against hanzi-writer-data stroke counts 2+6=8. Components are the building blocks of the shape; the radical used for dictionary lookup is a separate thing.
How many strokes does 侧 have?
8. You can watch the stroke order on this page, or trace it yourself.
What is the radical of 侧?
人. 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 侧?
Common ones are 侧面 and 左侧. The reading of 侧 is not the same in every word, so each word on this page shows which reading applies.