扎 (zhā) is a Chinese character meaning “to prick”. It is written from 扌 (hand (radical form)) and 乚 (bent hook), side by side, and takes 4 strokes. It has a second reading, zhá, which turns up in 挣扎 — here the two readings are two separate things to learn, not one card with two answers.
Build the character for “to prick; to stick in”
Four steps: break it apart, build it, recall it, use it in a word.
StartLearn this character
Structure
扌 + 乚
Left–right structure
Structure from: studyhanzi 现代字形拆分（IDS ⿰扌乚，笔画分组经 hanzi-writer-data 逐笔核验：第1–3笔为扌，第4笔为乚）
Memory aid
A hand (扌) driving in a single bent hook (乚) — that is what it feels like to jab something in.
This is a memory aid, not the historical origin.
Stroke order
4 strokes
In real words
- 扎针zhā zhēnto give an injection; to insert an acupuncture needle扎 = zhā
- 扎根zhā gēnto take root; to settle down in a place扎 = zhā
- 驻扎zhù zhāto be stationed; to be garrisoned; to encamp扎 = zhā
Go deeper
All readings
to prick; to stick in
to prick; to puncture; to stick or drive something pointed into
把尖的东西刺进去；深入进去。 — studyhanzi 编写
Words with this reading
- 扎针zhā zhēnto give an injection; to insert an acupuncture needle扎 = zhā
- 扎根zhā gēnto take root; to settle down in a place扎 = zhā
- 驻扎zhù zhāto be stationed; to be garrisoned; to encamp扎 = zhā
to struggle
to struggle; used only in the word 挣扎
只用于「挣扎」：用力支撑或摆脱。 — studyhanzi 编写
Words with this reading
- 挣扎zhēng zháto struggle; to strive to free oneself扎 = zhá
to tie; to bind
to tie; to bind; to bandage
捆；缠束。 — studyhanzi 编写
Words with this reading
- 包扎bāo zāto bind up; to dress or bandage (a wound)扎 = zā
Stroke data: hanzi-writer-data (Arphic Public License) · licenses & attributions
Questions people ask about this character
What does 扎 mean?
扎 (zhā) means to prick; to puncture; to stick or drive something pointed into.
How do you pronounce 扎?
Its main reading is zhā. It also has a second reading, zhá, which only shows up in certain words such as 挣扎 — so the word tells you the reading, not the character on its own.
Why is 扎 sometimes pronounced zhá?
Because it is a multi-reading character: each reading carries a different sense, and the word decides which one applies. In 挣扎 it is read zhá.
What parts is 扎 made of?
扌 (hand (radical form)) and 乚 (bent hook), side by side. The recorded source is: studyhanzi 现代字形拆分（IDS ⿰扌乚，笔画分组经 hanzi-writer-data 逐笔核验：第1–3笔为扌，第4笔为乚）. Components are the building blocks of the shape; the radical used for dictionary lookup is a separate thing.
How many strokes does 扎 have?
4. You can watch the stroke order on this page, or trace it yourself.
What is the radical of 扎?
扌. 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 扎?
Common ones are 扎针 and 扎根. The reading of 扎 is not the same in every word, so each word on this page shows which reading applies.