照
Character learning workspace

zhào · to shine, to reflect, to illuminate

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

HSK 3.0 · Level 3Frequency #1165
Watch · inspect · write

Learn every stroke in 照

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 照 is constructed

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

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Character anatomy

Understand the reusable parts

The decomposition shows how the visual pieces fit together, not necessarily the character’s historical origin.

Writing notes

Shape and proportion

13Total strokes

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

Top-bottomCharacter structure

Keep the upper section balanced above the lower section.

灬Key radical

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

Print and practise

Download a 照 writing sheet

Get a ready-to-use A4 sheet immediately, or open the full builder to change its grid and guidance.

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Includes the stroke sequence, progressive tracing, and blank writing squares. Generated locally in your browser.

Vocabulary in context

Common words with 照

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

zhàoWords pronounced zhào
Read and listen

Example sentences

Notice where 照 sits in each complete thought.

Bié xià wǒ! wǒ de hù zhào bú jiàn le!别吓我!我的护照不见了!

You must be joking! I can't find my passport!

Source: Tatoeba #4859573 · CC BY 2.0 FR
Wǒ néng zài zhè lǐ pāi zhào ma?我能在这里拍照吗?

Can I take pictures here?

Source: Tatoeba #334387 · CC BY 2.0 FR
Tā méi yǒu zhào gù tā de rén.她没有照顾她的人。

She has no one to take care of her.

Source: Tatoeba #12615484 · CC BY 2.0 FR
Wǒ xiǎng yào nǐ de yì zhāng zhào piàn.我想要你的一张照片。

I want your photograph.

Source: Tatoeba #490094 · CC BY 2.0 FR
Wǒ juéde wǒ shì àn zhào nǐ shuō de zuò de.我觉得我是按照你说的做的。

I thought I was doing it your way.

Source: Tatoeba #2078413 · CC BY 2.0 FR
Nǐ de hù zhào zài nǐ de jiākè lǐ ma.你的护照在你的夹克里吗。

Is your passport in your jacket?

Source: Tatoeba #13058806 · CC BY 2.0 FR
Turn reference into recall

How to study 照 in context

  1. Say zhào, then recall the core meaning: to shine, to reflect, to illuminate.
  2. Write all 13 strokes while keeping the top-bottom balanced.
  3. Use it in 护照 (hù zhào), meaning “passport”.
  4. Read the complete sentence aloud once, then cover the translation and explain how 照 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.