授 (shòu) is a Chinese character meaning “to give”. It is written from 扌 (hand (radical form)) and 受 (to receive), side by side, and takes 11 strokes.
Build the character for “to teach; to give”
Four steps: break it apart, build it, recall it, use it in a word.
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Structure
扌 + 受
Left–right structure
Structure from: 说文解字·手部：授，予也。从手从受，受亦声。现代字形按 hanzi-writer-data 笔画核验（扌3 + 受8 = 11 笔）
Memory aid
A hand (扌) holds something out so the other person can receive (受) it — handing over, like a teacher passing on knowledge.
This is a memory aid, not the historical origin.
Stroke order
11 strokes
In real words
- 传授chuán shòuto pass on (knowledge or skills); to impart授 = shòu
- 教授jiào shòuprofessor; to teach (at university level)授 = shòu
Go deeper
All readings
to teach; to give
to give; to confer; to award; to teach; to impart
交付，给予；把知识、技能教给别人。 — studyhanzi 编写
Words with this reading
- 传授chuán shòuto pass on (knowledge or skills); to impart授 = shòu
- 教授jiào shòuprofessor; to teach (at university level)授 = shòu
Sound component
受 family exact
Stroke data: hanzi-writer-data (Arphic Public License) · licenses & attributions
Questions people ask about this character
What does 授 mean?
授 (shòu) means to give; to confer; to award; to teach; to impart.
How do you pronounce 授?
It is pronounced shòu.
What parts is 授 made of?
扌 (hand (radical form)) and 受 (to receive), side by side. The recorded source is: 说文解字·手部：授，予也。从手从受，受亦声。现代字形按 hanzi-writer-data 笔画核验（扌3 + 受8 = 11 笔）. Components are the building blocks of the shape; the radical used for dictionary lookup is a separate thing.
How many strokes does 授 have?
11. You can watch the stroke order on this page, or trace it yourself.
What is the radical of 授?
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 授?
Common ones are 传授 and 教授. The reading of 授 is not the same in every word, so each word on this page shows which reading applies.