则 (zé) is a Chinese character meaning “rule”. It is written from 贝 (shell) and 刂 (knife (side form)), side by side, and takes 6 strokes.
Build the character for “rule, norm”
Four steps: break it apart, build it, recall it, use it in a word.
StartLearn this character
Structure
贝 + 刂
Left–right structure
Structure from: studyhanzi 现代字形拆分（hanzi-writer-data 笔画核对：贝 4 画 + 刂 2 画 = 6 画）
Memory aid
A knife (刂) cuts the standard into the shell (贝) that everyone uses to measure value — once it is cut in, it is the rule.
This is a memory aid, not the historical origin.
Stroke order
6 strokes
In real words
- 规则guī zérule; regulation则 = zé
- 否则fǒu zéotherwise; or else则 = zé
Go deeper
All readings
rule; then
rule; norm; standard; (formal) then, in that case
规范、准则；也用作连词，表示「就」「那么」。 — studyhanzi 编写
Words with this reading
- 规则guī zérule; regulation则 = zé
- 否则fǒu zéotherwise; or else则 = zé
Stroke data: hanzi-writer-data (Arphic Public License) · licenses & attributions
Questions people ask about this character
What does 则 mean?
则 (zé) means rule; norm; standard; (formal) then, in that case.
How do you pronounce 则?
It is pronounced zé.
What parts is 则 made of?
贝 (shell) and 刂 (knife (side form)), side by side. The recorded source is: studyhanzi 现代字形拆分（hanzi-writer-data 笔画核对：贝 4 画 + 刂 2 画 = 6 画）. Components are the building blocks of the shape; the radical used for dictionary lookup is a separate thing.
How many strokes does 则 have?
6. You can watch the stroke order on this page, or trace it yourself.
What is the radical of 则?
刂. 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 则?
Common ones are 规则 and 否则. The reading of 则 is not the same in every word, so each word on this page shows which reading applies.