统 (tǒng) is a Chinese character meaning “to unite”. It is written from 纟 (silk; thread (left-side form)) and 充 (to fill; full), side by side, and takes 9 strokes.
Build the character for “to unite; system”
Four steps: break it apart, build it, recall it, use it in a word.
StartLearn this character
Structure
纟 + 充
Left–right structure
Structure from: 现代字形拆分，以 hanzi-writer-data 笔画核验：9 画 = 纟 3 画 + 充 6 画；部首取康熙 120 糸部；说文解字：统，纪也。从糸充声；声符一致度只依据实测现代读音（充 chōng / 统 tǒng：韵母同为 -ong，声母 ch→t，声调 1→3）
Memory aid
Silk threads (纟) are gathered until the bundle is full (充) — many strands pulled together into one whole.
This is a memory aid, not the historical origin.
Stroke order
9 strokes
In real words
- 系统xì tǒngsystem统 = tǒng
- 传统chuán tǒngtradition; traditional统 = tǒng
Go deeper
All readings
to unite; system
to unite; to gather into one whole; to command; system; interconnected line
总括、合在一起；也指事物前后相连的系统。 — studyhanzi 编写
Words with this reading
- 系统xì tǒngsystem统 = tǒng
- 传统chuán tǒngtradition; traditional统 = tǒng
Stroke data: hanzi-writer-data (Arphic Public License) · licenses & attributions
Questions people ask about this character
What does 统 mean?
统 (tǒng) means to unite; to gather into one whole; to command; system; interconnected line.
How do you pronounce 统?
It is pronounced tǒng.
What parts is 统 made of?
纟 (silk; thread (left-side form)) and 充 (to fill; full), side by side. The recorded source is: 现代字形拆分，以 hanzi-writer-data 笔画核验：9 画 = 纟 3 画 + 充 6 画；部首取康熙 120 糸部；说文解字：统，纪也。从糸充声；声符一致度只依据实测现代读音（充 chōng / 统 tǒng：韵母同为 -ong，声母 ch→t，声调 1→3）. Components are the building blocks of the shape; the radical used for dictionary lookup is a separate thing.
How many strokes does 统 have?
9. You can watch the stroke order on this page, or trace it yourself.
What is the radical of 统?
纟. 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 统?
Common ones are 系统 and 传统. The reading of 统 is not the same in every word, so each word on this page shows which reading applies.