枝 (zhī) is a Chinese character meaning “branch”. It is written from 木 (tree; wood) and 支 (branch; to support), side by side, and takes 8 strokes.
Build the character for “branch of a tree”
Four steps: break it apart, build it, recall it, use it in a word.
StartLearn this character
Structure
木 + 支
Left–right structure
Structure from: 现代字形拆分（对照 hanzi-writer-data 笔画核验：木 4 画 + 支 4 画 = 8 画）
Memory aid
Wood (木) on the left says this is about trees; 支 on the right hands you the sound zhī. What a tree sends out sideways is a branch. Both parts are really in this character.
This is a memory aid, not the historical origin.
Stroke order
8 strokes
In real words
- 树枝shù zhītree branch; twig枝 = zhī
- 荔枝lì zhīlychee枝 = zhī
Go deeper
All readings
branch
branch; twig; also a measure word for long thin things such as flowers and pens
从植物主干上分出来的茎；也作量词，用于带枝的花或细长的东西。 — studyhanzi 编写
Words with this reading
- 树枝shù zhītree branch; twig枝 = zhī
- 荔枝lì zhīlychee枝 = zhī
Sound component
支 family exact
Stroke data: hanzi-writer-data (Arphic Public License) · licenses & attributions
Questions people ask about this character
What does 枝 mean?
枝 (zhī) means branch; twig; also a measure word for long thin things such as flowers and pens.
How do you pronounce 枝?
It is pronounced zhī.
What parts is 枝 made of?
木 (tree; wood) and 支 (branch; to support), side by side. The recorded source is: 现代字形拆分（对照 hanzi-writer-data 笔画核验：木 4 画 + 支 4 画 = 8 画）. Components are the building blocks of the shape; the radical used for dictionary lookup is a separate thing.
How many strokes does 枝 have?
8. You can watch the stroke order on this page, or trace it yourself.
What is the radical of 枝?
木. 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 枝?
Common ones are 树枝 and 荔枝. The reading of 枝 is not the same in every word, so each word on this page shows which reading applies.