若 (ruò) is a Chinese character meaning “if”. It is written from 艹 (grass / plant radical) and 右 (right (hand side); the right hand), one above the other, and takes 8 strokes.
Build the character for “if; as if”
Four steps: break it apart, build it, recall it, use it in a word.
StartLearn this character
Structure
艹 + 右
Top–bottom structure
Structure from: modern-form decomposition (IDS ⿱艹右, verified against hanzi-writer-data stroke groups 3+5=8)
Memory aid
Grass (艹) growing over a right hand (右): whichever way the grass leans, that's the way it goes — if this, then that.
This is a memory aid, not the historical origin.
Stroke order
8 strokes
In real words
- 若干ruò gāna certain number; several; some若 = ruò
- 假若jiǎ ruòif; supposing that; in case若 = ruò
- 倘若tǎng ruòif; supposing若 = ruò
Go deeper
All readings
if; like
if; supposing; to seem like; as if
如果；假如。也表示「好像、如同」。 — studyhanzi 编写
Words with this reading
- 若干ruò gāna certain number; several; some若 = ruò
- 假若jiǎ ruòif; supposing that; in case若 = ruò
- 倘若tǎng ruòif; supposing若 = ruò
Stroke data: hanzi-writer-data (Arphic Public License) · licenses & attributions
Questions people ask about this character
What does 若 mean?
若 (ruò) means if; supposing; to seem like; as if.
How do you pronounce 若?
It is pronounced ruò.
What parts is 若 made of?
艹 (grass / plant radical) and 右 (right (hand side); the right hand), one above the other. The recorded source is: modern-form decomposition (IDS ⿱艹右, verified against hanzi-writer-data stroke groups 3+5=8). Components are the building blocks of the shape; the radical used for dictionary lookup is a separate thing.
How many strokes does 若 have?
8. You can watch the stroke order on this page, or trace it yourself.
What is the radical of 若?
艸. 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 若?
Common ones are 若干 and 假若. The reading of 若 is not the same in every word, so each word on this page shows which reading applies.