匠 (jiàng) is a Chinese character meaning “craftsman”. It is written from 匚 (right-open box) and 斤 (catty (unit of weight)), one enclosing the other, and takes 6 strokes.
Build the character for “craftsman”
Four steps: break it apart, build it, recall it, use it in a word.
StartLearn this character
Structure
匚 + 斤
Enclosing structure
Structure from: 现代简化字形拆分（对照 hanzi-writer-data 笔画核验：匚 2 画包围 斤 4 画，合计 6 画，笔序为匚首横 → 斤 4 画 → 匚竖折）
Memory aid
A box open on one side (匚) with 斤 set down inside it. Picture a workshop: the open box is the shop wall, the piece inside is the tool left on the bench — the person who works there is the craftsman.
This is a memory aid, not the historical origin.
Stroke order
6 strokes
In real words
- 木匠mù jiàngcarpenter; joiner匠 = jiàng
- 工匠gōng jiàngcraftsman; artisan匠 = jiàng
Go deeper
All readings
craftsman
craftsman; artisan; skilled workman; a master in a particular craft
有专门手艺的工人；也指在某方面造诣很深的人。 — studyhanzi 编写
Words with this reading
- 木匠mù jiàngcarpenter; joiner匠 = jiàng
- 工匠gōng jiàngcraftsman; artisan匠 = jiàng
Stroke data: hanzi-writer-data (Arphic Public License) · licenses & attributions
Questions people ask about this character
What does 匠 mean?
匠 (jiàng) means craftsman; artisan; skilled workman; a master in a particular craft.
How do you pronounce 匠?
It is pronounced jiàng.
What parts is 匠 made of?
匚 (right-open box) and 斤 (catty (unit of weight)), one enclosing the other. The recorded source is: 现代简化字形拆分（对照 hanzi-writer-data 笔画核验：匚 2 画包围 斤 4 画，合计 6 画，笔序为匚首横 → 斤 4 画 → 匚竖折）. Components are the building blocks of the shape; the radical used for dictionary lookup is a separate thing.
How many strokes does 匠 have?
6. You can watch the stroke order on this page, or trace it yourself.
What is the radical of 匠?
匚. 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 匠?
Common ones are 木匠 and 工匠. The reading of 匠 is not the same in every word, so each word on this page shows which reading applies.