点 (diǎn) means "point, dot" with 9 strokes, radical 灬 (fire), HSK 1 on the new exam.
Pronunciation
Meaning
Primary: point
Other meanings:
- dot
Etymology
Oracle-bone origin
点 is not attested in oracle bone script. Its traditional form 點 is a phono-semantic compound first seen clearly in seal script: 黑 (black) gives the meaning, 占 gives the sound. The original sense was a small black mark or speck made with ink.
Form evolution
The seal form 點 combines 黑 on the left with 占 on the right. Clerical and regular script preserved this structure, which remains the traditional character still used in Taiwan and Hong Kong. The mainland simplification replaces 黑 with 灬 (fire dots) below 占, giving the modern 点 adopted in the 1950s.
How the meaning evolved
The core sense stayed close to the graphic origin: a dot, spot, or drop. From there it extended to mean to mark with a dot, then to select or designate (点名 to call roll), to light or ignite (点火), to order food (点菜), and to indicate a point in time (三点 three o'clock). The measure-word use for items on a list or agenda grows out of the same marking sense.
Cultural note
The idiom 画龙点睛 (paint the dragon, dot the eyes) describes the finishing stroke that brings a work to life, from a tale of the painter Zhang Sengyou whose dotted dragons reportedly flew off the wall. Learners often forget that 点 works as both noun and verb, and that 一点 softens a statement rather than literally meaning one dot.
Mnemonic
Fire dots under a mark — a point, a dot
Decomposition
Breaking a character into its components makes it far easier to recall. Each component above links to its own detail page.
Basic info
| Pinyin | diǎn |
| Meanings | point, dot |
| Stroke count | 9 strokes |
| Radical | 灬 (#86: fire) |
| New HSK exam | Recognise at HSK 1, write by hand at HSK 1-2 |
| Frequency | #42 most common |
Example sentences
Words containing 点
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | HSK |
|---|---|---|---|
| 点 | diǎn | point, dot | HSK 1 |
| 一点儿 | yīdiǎnr | a little | HSK 1 |
| 地点 | dìdiǎn | location | HSK 3 |
| 缺点 | quēdiǎn | shortcoming | HSK 4 |
| 特点 | tèdiǎn | Characteristic | HSK 4 |
| 优点 | yōudiǎn | Advantage | HSK 4 |
| 重点 | zhòngdiǎn | A key | HSK 4 |
| 标点 | biāodiǎn | punctuation | HSK 7-9 |
| 点心 | diǎnxin | snack | HSK 5 |
| 观点 | guāndiǎn | viewpoint | HSK 5 |
| 斑点 | bāndiǎn | spot, speckle | HSK 7-9 |
| 点播 | diǎnbō | to request (a song) | |
| 点菜 | diǎncài | to order dishes | |
| 点滴 | diǎndī | a drip, intravenous drip | |
| 点缀 | diǎnzhuì | to decorate, to embellish | HSK 7-9 |
| 点头 | diǎntóu | to nod one's head | HSK 4 |
| 点燃 | diǎnrán | to ignite, to light | HSK 6 |
Related characters
Similar meaning (abstract)
On the new HSK 1 exam
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Frequently Asked Questions
Appears in these articles
Reviewed by RJ Murray, Founder, HSK Lord.