Dictionary › 写
写
xiě
写 (xiě) means "to write". It is an HSK 3.0 level 1 word, and was HSK 1 in the old six-level list.
What 写 means
- to write
How 写 is used in grammar
写 is a grammar word. Each link goes to its own section: what it does in that pattern, the structure, three example sentences with pinyin, and the mistake to avoid.
Other readings
Example sentences
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快写！Write it quickly!
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写下来！Write it down!
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我写诗。I write poems.
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你写吗?Do you write?
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请填写。Fill in.
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用铅笔写。Write it in pencil.
Words starting with 写
- 写作xiě zuòto write; to compose; writing
- 写信xiě xìnto write a letter
- 写下xiě xiàto write down
- 写道xiě dàoto write (used before or after a quoted passage)
- 写真xiě zhēnportrait; to describe sth accurately
- 写字xiě zìto write (by hand); to practice calligraphy
- 写完xiě wánto finish writing
- 写字楼xiě zì lóuoffice building
- 写法xiě fǎstyle of writing (literary style); way of writing a character; spelling
- 写照xiě zhàoportrayal
- 写字台xiě zì táiwriting desk
- 写生xiě shēngto sketch from nature; to do a still life drawing
- 写实xiě shírealism; realistic portrayal; realistic
- 写意xiè yìcomfortable; enjoyable; relaxed
- 写本xiě běnhandwritten copy of a book
- 写手xiě shǒuperson who writes articles - newspapers, magazines, blogs (informal); scribe; copyist
- 写死xiě sǐto hard code (computing)
- 写真集xiě zhēn jíphotobook (loanword from Japanese), generally sexy portraits of an actress or model
- 写字板xiě zì bǎnwriting tablet; clipboard
- 写意画xiě yì huàfreehand drawing or painting in traditional Chinese style
Words containing 写
- 描写miáo xiěto describe; to depict; to portray; depiction; portrayal
- 填写tián xiěto fill in a form; to write data in a box (on a questionnaire or web form)
- 书写shū xiěto write
- 编写biān xiěto compile
- 撰写zhuàn xiěto write; to compose
- 听写tīng xiě(of a pupil) to write down (in a dictation exercise); dictation…
- 改写gǎi xiěto revise; to edit
- 特写tè xiěfeature article; close-up (filmmaking, photography etc)
- 读写dú xiěreading and writing
- 缩写suō xiěabbreviation; to abridge
- 手写shǒu xiěto write by hand
- 拼写pīn xiěto spell
- 轻描淡写qīng miáo dàn xiě(idiom) to treat sth as no big deal; to downplay; to understate
- 抄写chāo xiěto copy; to transcribe
- 大写dà xiěcapital letters; uppercase letters; block letters
- 速写sù xiěquick sketch
- 谱写pǔ xiěto compose (a piece of music); (fig.) to create, by one's actions, a narrative…
- 题写tí xiěto create a work of calligraphy for display in a prominent place (typically, a sign)
- 默写mò xiěto write from memory
- 简写jiǎn xiěto write characters in simplified form; the simplified form of a character…
- 小写xiǎo xiělowercase
- 大小写dà xiǎo xiěcapitals and lowercase letters
- 抒写shū xiěto express (emotions in prose); a written description (of emotions)
- 代写dài xiěto write on behalf of sb else
Characters that look like 写
Easy to confuse on sight. Compare them side by side once and the pair stops costing you.
- 用yòngto use; to make use of; to employ; (coverb) with; using; to need…
- 当dāng(onomatopoeia) dong; ding dong (bell)
- 网wǎngnet; web; network; to net; to catch with a net
- 军jūn(bound form) army; military
- 厉lìstrict; severe
- 臣chénstate official or subject in dynastic China; I, your servant…
Sounds the same
Read xiě, tone for tone, but written differently.
Where 写 is taught
In the GraphChinese course it is part of Everyday Actions (HSK 1), HSK 1 Characters · Set 17 (HSK 1), each one a topic in the dependency graph of HSK 1–6 that opens only once its prerequisites are solid.
Go deeper
- Every HSK 1 word, with the rest of its level.
- How characters are built from components.
- How to learn Chinese characters.
- The four tones and the neutral tone, to read xiě correctly.
- Look up another word in the free dictionary.
Looking a word up is not learning it. GraphChinese puts all of HSK 1–6 into one dependency graph, teaches each piece only once its prerequisites are solid, and schedules reviews to land just before you would forget.
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