彻 (chè) is a Chinese character meaning “to penetrate”. It is written from 彳 (a short step; the “double-person” left side) and 切 (to cut), side by side, and takes 7 strokes.
Build the character for “thorough; all the way through”
Four steps: break it apart, build it, recall it, use it in a word.
StartLearn this character
Structure
彳 + 切
Left–right structure
Structure from: hanzi-writer-data 笔画分区核验（现代字形：前 3 笔为彳，后 4 笔为切）
Memory aid
彳 is a step on a road; 切 is to cut. Cut the road open and walk it end to end — 彻 is going all the way through.
This is a memory aid, not the historical origin.
Stroke order
7 strokes
In real words
- 彻底chè dǐthorough; thoroughly; complete彻 = chè
- 透彻tòu chèpenetrating; thorough (of understanding or analysis)彻 = chè
- 贯彻guàn chèto carry out; to implement thoroughly彻 = chè
Go deeper
All readings
thorough
to penetrate; to pass through; thorough; all the way
通；透；从头到尾，一直到底。 — studyhanzi 编写
Words with this reading
- 彻底chè dǐthorough; thoroughly; complete彻 = chè
- 透彻tòu chèpenetrating; thorough (of understanding or analysis)彻 = chè
- 贯彻guàn chèto carry out; to implement thoroughly彻 = chè
Stroke data: hanzi-writer-data (Arphic Public License) · licenses & attributions
Questions people ask about this character
What does 彻 mean?
彻 (chè) means to penetrate; to pass through; thorough; all the way.
How do you pronounce 彻?
It is pronounced chè.
What parts is 彻 made of?
彳 (a short step; the “double-person” left side) and 切 (to cut), side by side. The recorded source is: hanzi-writer-data 笔画分区核验（现代字形：前 3 笔为彳，后 4 笔为切）. Components are the building blocks of the shape; the radical used for dictionary lookup is a separate thing.
How many strokes does 彻 have?
7. You can watch the stroke order on this page, or trace it yourself.
What is the radical of 彻?
彳. 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 彻?
Common ones are 彻底 and 透彻. The reading of 彻 is not the same in every word, so each word on this page shows which reading applies.