How many strokes does the Chinese character "智" (zhì) have?
"智" has 12 strokes in Simplified Chinese. Its primary dictionary radical is 日, and you can animate or practice writing every stroke in order using the interactive grid on this page.
Ready · 12 strokes
Speed:
Virtues & Core Values
Name: Good with Pairing
Tattoo: Better in a Phrase
智 Wisdom in Chinese (zhì)
Dictionary Summary
智 (zhì) means (literary) wise; wisdom. Simplified form has 12 strokes under radical 日.
Pinyin & Tonezhì (Tone 4)
Simplified / Trad.智 / 智
Radical日
Total Strokes12 strokes
StructureTop–Bottom (知 + 日)
Unicode / LevelU+667A · HSK 4
Native Naming & Tattoo Safety Review
🪪 Using “智” in a Chinese Name · Good with Pairing (Masculine-leaning)
Highly regarded in naming, especially paired with literary characters like 智远 or 智霖. Beware of pairing directly with 障 (which sounds like an insult) or overly repetitive phrases.
✒️ Using “智” for a Tattoo · Better in a Phrase
Readable standalone, though pairing it as 智慧 (zhìhuì, wisdom) sounds much more natural and balanced than single-character 智.
Character Etymology & CC-CEDICT Meanings
Origin & Visual Logic: Pairs the character 知 (to know, combining arrow and mouth) over 日 (sun/day), expressing clarity of judgment refined day after day.
| Traditional / Simplified | Pinyin | CC-CEDICT Definitions |
|---|---|---|
| 智 / 智 | zhì | (literary) wise; wisdom |
Lexical entries derived from CC-CEDICT (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Make Me a Hanzi (APL / LGPL-3.0).
Common Words & Idioms Using “智”
| Chinese Word | Pinyin | English Meaning | Audio |
|---|---|---|---|
| 智慧 | zhìhuì | wisdom and insight | |
| 明智 | míngzhì | wise and sensible | |
| 才智 | cáizhì | ability and wisdom |
English Names Using “智” in Our Curated Recommendations
See how native speakers pair 智 (zhì) into modern Chinese names:
Frequently Asked Questions
Is "智" good to use in a real Chinese name?
Rating: Good with Pairing (Masculine-leaning). Highly regarded in naming, especially paired with literary characters like 智远 or 智霖. Beware of pairing directly with 障 (which sounds like an insult) or overly repetitive phrases.
Is "智" safe as a Chinese character tattoo?
Tattoo rating: Better in a Phrase. Readable standalone, though pairing it as 智慧 (zhìhuì, wisdom) sounds much more natural and balanced than single-character 智.