袍 (páo) is a Chinese character meaning “robe”. It is written from 衤 (clothing (left-side form)) and 包 (to wrap; bundle), side by side, and takes 10 strokes.
Build the character for “robe”
Four steps: break it apart, build it, recall it, use it in a word.
StartLearn this character
Structure
衤 + 包
Left–right structure
Structure from: studyhanzi 构形核验：现代字形拆分 ⿰衤包，对照 hanzi-writer-data 笔顺：笔画 0–4 与「衤」逐笔对应，5–9 与「包」逐笔对应（5+5=10 画）
Memory aid
Clothing (衤) that wraps (包) you from shoulders to feet — a long robe.
This is a memory aid, not the historical origin.
Stroke order
10 strokes
In real words
- 旗袍qí páoqipao; cheongsam (close-fitting Chinese dress)袍 = páo
- 长袍cháng páolong robe; long gown袍 = páo
Go deeper
All readings
robe; gown
robe; gown; a long garment
长衣，中式长衣服。 — studyhanzi 编写
Words with this reading
- 旗袍qí páoqipao; cheongsam (close-fitting Chinese dress)袍 = páo
- 长袍cháng páolong robe; long gown袍 = páo
Stroke data: hanzi-writer-data (Arphic Public License) · licenses & attributions
Questions people ask about this character
What does 袍 mean?
袍 (páo) means robe; gown; a long garment.
How do you pronounce 袍?
It is pronounced páo.
What parts is 袍 made of?
衤 (clothing (left-side form)) and 包 (to wrap; bundle), side by side. The recorded source is: studyhanzi 构形核验：现代字形拆分 ⿰衤包，对照 hanzi-writer-data 笔顺：笔画 0–4 与「衤」逐笔对应，5–9 与「包」逐笔对应（5+5=10 画）. Components are the building blocks of the shape; the radical used for dictionary lookup is a separate thing.
How many strokes does 袍 have?
10. You can watch the stroke order on this page, or trace it yourself.
What is the radical of 袍?
衣. 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 袍?
Common ones are 旗袍 and 长袍. The reading of 袍 is not the same in every word, so each word on this page shows which reading applies.