杀
Character learning workspace

shā · to kill, to murder, to slaughter

Master the form, understand its parts, and learn how it behaves in real Chinese.

HSK 2.0 · Level 5HSK 3.0 · Level 6Frequency #557
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Learn every stroke in 杀

Replay the complete order, pause on difficult movements, inspect one stroke at a time, then write it yourself with live correction.

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Stroke graphics: Make Me a Hanzi / Arphic Public License
Step-by-step explorer

See how 杀 is constructed

Switch between the accumulated form and the isolated movement of each stroke.

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Writing notes

Shape and proportion

6Total strokes

Count each continuous pen movement once, including turns and hooks.

Top-bottomCharacter structure

Keep the upper section balanced above the lower section.

木Key radical

Use the highlighted radical in the animation as a visual anchor for remembering the form.

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Download a 杀 writing sheet

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Vocabulary in context

Common words with 杀

Open a word for its full breakdown, or listen before reading the meaning.

shāWords pronounced shā
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Example sentences

Notice where 杀 sits in each complete thought.

Wǒ huì bù gāoxìng, dàn wǒ bú huì zì shā.我会不高兴,但我不会自杀。

I'd be unhappy, but I wouldn't kill myself.

Source: Tatoeba #54 · CC BY 2.0 FR
Bǎ tā shā le!把他杀了!

Kill him!

Source: Tatoeba #704479 · CC BY 2.0 FR
Zhè zhèng míng le nǐ shì shā rén fàn.这证明了你是杀人犯。

This is proof that you're the murderer.

Source: Tatoeba #1233195 · CC BY 2.0 FR
Shàng dì sǐ le. wǒ men shā sǐ le tā.上帝死了。我们杀死了他。

God died. We killed Him.

Source: Tatoeba #1185710 · CC BY 2.0 FR
Zhè jiù shì nàge zuò jiā zì shā de fáng jiān.这就是那个作家自杀的房间。

This is the room where the author killed himself.

Source: Tatoeba #405235 · CC BY 2.0 FR
Nàge zuò jiā jiù shì zài zhè jiān fáng lǐ zì shā de.那个作家就是在这间房里自杀的。

This is the room where the author killed himself.

Source: Tatoeba #432933 · CC BY 2.0 FR
Turn reference into recall

How to study 杀 in context

  1. Say shā, then recall the core meaning: to kill, to murder, to slaughter.
  2. Write all 6 strokes while keeping the top-bottom balanced.
  3. Use it in 自杀 (zì shā), meaning “to kill oneself”.
  4. Read the complete sentence aloud once, then cover the translation and explain how 杀 works in that context.

Definitions and traditional forms are compiled from Make Me a Hanzi, HSK curriculum data, and CC-CEDICT. Sourced example sentences link to Tatoeba; editorial examples are labeled separately. Review data sources and licenses.