证 (zhèng) is a Chinese character meaning “evidence”. It is written from 讠 (speech radical) and 正 (upright; straight; correct), side by side, and takes 7 strokes.
Build the character for “proof”
Four steps: break it apart, build it, recall it, use it in a word.
StartLearn this character
Structure
讠 + 正
Left–right structure
Structure from: 现代简化字形拆分 ⿰讠正；以 hanzi-writer-data 核验：7 画 = 讠 2 画 + 正 5 画
Memory aid
Speech (讠) that stands upright (正): words straight enough to hold up are what we call proof.
This is a memory aid, not the historical origin.
Stroke order
7 strokes
In real words
- 证明zhèng míngto prove; proof; certificate证 = zhèng
- 保证bǎo zhèngto guarantee; to assure证 = zhèng
Go deeper
All readings
proof; to prove
evidence; proof; certificate; to prove; to testify
用事实或材料表明真实情况；也指凭据、证件。 — studyhanzi 编写
Words with this reading
- 证明zhèng míngto prove; proof; certificate证 = zhèng
- 保证bǎo zhèngto guarantee; to assure证 = zhèng
Sound component
正 family exact
Stroke data: hanzi-writer-data (Arphic Public License) · licenses & attributions
Questions people ask about this character
What does 证 mean?
证 (zhèng) means evidence; proof; certificate; to prove; to testify.
How do you pronounce 证?
It is pronounced zhèng.
What parts is 证 made of?
讠 (speech radical) and 正 (upright; straight; correct), side by side. The recorded source is: 现代简化字形拆分 ⿰讠正；以 hanzi-writer-data 核验：7 画 = 讠 2 画 + 正 5 画. Components are the building blocks of the shape; the radical used for dictionary lookup is a separate thing.
How many strokes does 证 have?
7. You can watch the stroke order on this page, or trace it yourself.
What is the radical of 证?
讠. 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 证?
Common ones are 证明 and 保证. The reading of 证 is not the same in every word, so each word on this page shows which reading applies.