繇
Character learning workspace

yáo / yóu / zhòu · cause, means, reason

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

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Learn every stroke in 繇

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
Sound changes meaning

Readings & meanings

繇 has 3 dictionary pronunciations. The examples show how each reading behaves in real words.

yáo

folk-song; forced labor

yóu

cause; means

自繇自在zì yóu zì zai · free and easy
zhòu

interpretations of the trigrams

Step-by-step explorer

See how 繇 is constructed

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

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Writing notes

Shape and proportion

17Total strokes

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

Left-rightCharacter structure

Keep the left side compact and leave enough room for the right side.

糸Key radical

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

Print and practise

Download a 繇 writing sheet

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

Turn reference into recall

How to study 繇 in context

  1. Say yáo / yóu / zhòu, then recall the core meaning: cause, means, reason.
  2. Write all 17 strokes while keeping the left-right balanced.
  3. Use it in 自繇自在 (zì yóu zì zai), meaning “free and easy”.

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.