How many strokes does the Chinese character "王" (wáng) have?
"王" has 4 strokes in Simplified Chinese. Its primary dictionary radical is 王, and you can animate or practice writing every stroke in order using the interactive grid on this page.
Ready · 4 strokes
Speed:
Chinese Surnames & Cultural Core
Name: Surname / Classic
Tattoo: Caution Alone
王 Wang / King in Chinese (wáng)
Dictionary Summary
王 (wáng) means surname Wang; king or monarch; best or strongest of its type. Simplified form has 4 strokes under radical 王.
Pinyin & Tonewáng (Tone 2)
Simplified / Trad.王 / 王
Radical王
Total Strokes4 strokes
StructureTop–Bottom (一 + 土)
Unicode / LevelU+738B · HSK 1
Native Naming & Tattoo Safety Review
🪪 Using “王” in a Chinese Name · Surname / Classic (Neutral / Surname)
China's largest or second-largest surname (over 100 million people). Great surname pairing for English W/V names (William, Victoria, Wyatt). Rarely used inside a given name unless paired classically.
✒️ Using “王” for a Tattoo · Caution Alone
Standalone 王 reads either as the common surname 'Wang' or the forehead stripes of a tiger—rarely tattooed alone for 'King' like in English.
Character Etymology & CC-CEDICT Meanings
Origin & Visual Logic: Three horizontal lines uniting Heaven, Humanity, and Earth through one upright axis—or an ancient royal battle axe.
| Traditional / Simplified | Pinyin | CC-CEDICT Definitions |
|---|---|---|
| 王 / 王 | Wáng | surname Wang |
| 王 / 王 | wáng | king or monarch; best or strongest of its type; grand |
| 王 / 王 | wàng | (literary) (of a monarch) to reign over (a kingdom) |
Lexical entries derived from CC-CEDICT (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Make Me a Hanzi (APL / LGPL-3.0).
Common Words & Idioms Using “王”
| Chinese Word | Pinyin | English Meaning | Audio |
|---|---|---|---|
| 王子 | wángzǐ | prince | |
| 女王 | nǚwáng | queen | |
| 王国 | wángguó | kingdom |
English Names Using “王” in Our Curated Recommendations
See how native speakers pair 王 (wáng) into modern Chinese names:
Frequently Asked Questions
Is "王" good to use in a real Chinese name?
Rating: Surname / Classic (Neutral / Surname). China's largest or second-largest surname (over 100 million people). Great surname pairing for English W/V names (William, Victoria, Wyatt). Rarely used inside a given name unless paired classically.
Is "王" safe as a Chinese character tattoo?
Tattoo rating: Caution Alone. Standalone 王 reads either as the common surname 'Wang' or the forehead stripes of a tiger—rarely tattooed alone for 'King' like in English.