字Study Chinese Characters
定

dìng to settle; fixed

8 strokes

定 (dìng) is a Chinese character meaning “to settle”. It is written from 宀 (roof) and 疋 (foot; also a variant of 匹 (bolt of cloth)), one above the other, and takes 8 strokes.

Build the character for “to settle; fixed”

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Structure

宀 + 疋

Top–bottom structure

  • 宀 roof · mián unknown
  • 疋 foot; also a variant of 匹 (bolt of cloth) · pǐ unknown

Structure from: 现代字形拆分（IDS ⿱宀疋，按 hanzi-writer-data 笔画核验：宀 3 画 + 疋 5 画 = 定 8 画）

Memory aid

A roof (宀) with a foot (疋) resting underneath. Once the feet stop moving indoors, everything is settled — that is 定.

This is a memory aid, not the historical origin.

Stroke order

8 strokes

In real words

  • 决定jué dìngto decide; decision定 = dìngHSK 3
  • 一定yí dìngcertainly; definitely; certain; fixed定 = dìng
  • 否定fǒu dìngto deny; to negate; negative定 = dìngHSK 5
  • 惊魂甫定jīng hún fǔ dìngto have only just calmed down after a fright定 = dìng
  • 肯定kěn dìngdefinitely; certainly; to affirm定 = dìng
  • 规定guī dìngto stipulate; rule; provision定 = dìng
Go deeper

All readings

dìng main reading

to settle; fixed

to settle; to fix; to decide; stable; settled; certainly

使确定下来、不再改变；安稳不动摇；也表示必然。 — studyhanzi 编写

Words with this reading

  • 决定jué dìngto decide; decision定 = dìngHSK 3
  • 一定yí dìngcertainly; definitely; certain; fixed定 = dìng
  • 否定fǒu dìngto deny; to negate; negative定 = dìngHSK 5
  • 惊魂甫定jīng hún fǔ dìngto have only just calmed down after a fright定 = dìng
  • 肯定kěn dìngdefinitely; certainly; to affirm定 = dìng
  • 规定guī dìngto stipulate; rule; provision定 = dìng

Other characters with these parts

宀 → 字宁它宅宇守安宋

疋 → 是蛋

Stroke data: hanzi-writer-data (Arphic Public License) · licenses & attributions

Questions people ask about this character

What does 定 mean?

定 (dìng) means to settle; to fix; to decide; stable; settled; certainly.

How do you pronounce 定?

It is pronounced dìng.

What parts is 定 made of?

宀 (roof) and 疋 (foot; also a variant of 匹 (bolt of cloth)), one above the other. The recorded source is: 现代字形拆分（IDS ⿱宀疋，按 hanzi-writer-data 笔画核验：宀 3 画 + 疋 5 画 = 定 8 画）. Components are the building blocks of the shape; the radical used for dictionary lookup is a separate thing.

How many strokes does 定 have?

8. You can watch the stroke order on this page, or trace it yourself.

What is the radical of 定?

宀. 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 定?

Common ones are 决定 and 一定. The reading of 定 is not the same in every word, so each word on this page shows which reading applies.