Characters · 3 strokes
子
zǐ child
Where the shape comes from
A baby in swaddling, arms out and legs wrapped.
Write it
Watch the order first, then trace it with the guide, then write it from memory. The model comes back over your strokes so you can see where the shape drifted.
Press Watch to see the stroke order.
Stroke order from Make Me a Hanzi via Hanzi Writer, Arphic Public License.
Three words that use it
孩子
háizi
child
儿子
érzi
son
杯子
bēizi
cup
Watch out: the mistake people make
In many everyday words 子 is just a noun ending, said with a light neutral tone, as in 杯子. It does not always mean child.