之 zhī — marks preceding phrase as modifier of following phrase · English

之

zhī

marks preceding phrase as modifier of following phrase

At a glance · 之

Listen

Audio is synthesized in your browser: Mandarin for the character and Shuowen text, native voices for every translation. No downloads.

Evolution of the glyph

Five stages, from a sketch of the real object to regular script — tap a stage, drag the timeline, or play the animation.

Object sketchBefore writing · drawing what was seen
Oracle boneShang dynasty · c. 1300–1046 BCE
Seal scriptQin dynasty · 221–206 BCE
Clerical scriptHan dynasty · 206 BCE–220 CE
Regular scriptWei–Jin to Tang · c. 3rd–9th century CE

Object sketchBefore writing · drawing what was seenOracle boneShang dynasty · c. 1300–1046 BCESeal scriptQin dynasty · 221–206 BCEClerical scriptHan dynasty · 206 BCE–220 CERegular scriptWei–Jin to Tang · c. 3rd–9th century CE

「之」甲骨文从止从一，象足趾离地有所往，金文小篆相承。

What the sketch shows

Origins & notes

「之」本义为往、到，后虚化为结构助词「的」。

Structure

从止、从一，会意字，象足行有所至，后作虚词。

At a glance

Pinyinzhī

Radical丶

Strokes4

UnicodeU+4E4B

Character type会意

Theme虚词

Six languages, one character

Each page offers hreflang versions; switching language keeps the glyphs and meanings aligned.

English marks preceding phrase as modifier of following phrase marks preceding phrase as modifier of following phrase; it, him her, them; go to

Français de / le Particule «de» ; le, la. «如松之盛» : la prospérité du pin.

Español de / el Partícula 'de'; el, la. «如松之盛»: la prosperidad del pino.

العربية الـ / من أداة «الـ»؛ هو/هي. «如松之盛»: ازدهار الصنوبر.

Русский де / он Частица «де»; он/она. «如松之盛»: процветание сосны.

Common words

之前zhī qiánbefore
总之zǒng zhīin short

◉ Listen