挚 (zhì) is a Chinese character meaning “sincere”. It is written from 执 (to hold; to grasp; to carry out) and 手 (hand), one above the other, and takes 10 strokes.
Build the character for “sincere”
Four steps: break it apart, build it, recall it, use it in a word.
StartLearn this character
Structure
执 + 手
Top–bottom structure
Structure from: 现代字形拆分，依据 hanzi-writer-data 笔画核验（6 笔执 + 4 笔手 = 10 笔）
Memory aid
To hold (执) someone's hand (手) tightly — that is how sincere, close friends behave.
This is a memory aid, not the historical origin.
Stroke order
10 strokes
In real words
- 挚友zhì yǒuclose friend; bosom friend挚 = zhì
- 诚挚chéng zhìsincere; cordial挚 = zhì
Go deeper
All readings
sincere; earnest
sincere; earnest; intimate (of friendship)
真诚；恳切；（感情）亲密深厚。 — studyhanzi 编写
Words with this reading
- 挚友zhì yǒuclose friend; bosom friend挚 = zhì
- 诚挚chéng zhìsincere; cordial挚 = zhì
Stroke data: hanzi-writer-data (Arphic Public License) · licenses & attributions
Questions people ask about this character
What does 挚 mean?
挚 (zhì) means sincere; earnest; intimate (of friendship).
How do you pronounce 挚?
It is pronounced zhì.
What parts is 挚 made of?
执 (to hold; to grasp; to carry out) and 手 (hand), one above the other. The recorded source is: 现代字形拆分，依据 hanzi-writer-data 笔画核验（6 笔执 + 4 笔手 = 10 笔）. Components are the building blocks of the shape; the radical used for dictionary lookup is a separate thing.
How many strokes does 挚 have?
10. You can watch the stroke order on this page, or trace it yourself.
What is the radical of 挚?
手. 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 挚?
Common ones are 挚友 and 诚挚. The reading of 挚 is not the same in every word, so each word on this page shows which reading applies.