写 (xiě) — to write | Chinese (Mandarin) Grammar

写 (xiě) means to write — to put language on a surface with a pen, a brush, or a keyboard. It is straightforward and transitive, but it comes with one strong habit you should build from day one: 写 wants something after it. A bare 写 hanging on its own sounds unfinished to a Chinese ear, the way "I wrote" trails off in English if you don't say what. So 写 almost always carries either an object (写字, 写信, 写作业) or a result complement that says how the writing turned out (写完 "finished," 写错 "got it wrong," 写好 "done properly"). Master those two moves and 写 is fully under control.

Sense 1: write (put down in writing)

The everyday sense: forming characters, filling in a name, writing a letter or homework. 写字 "write (characters)," 写信 "write a letter," 写名字 "write one's name," 写作业 "do (written) homework."

这个字我不会写。

zhège zì wǒ bú huì xiě

I don't know how to write this character.

请在这里写上你的名字。

qǐng zài zhèlǐ xiě shàng nǐ de míngzi

Please write your name here.

他给我写了一封很长的信。

tā gěi wǒ xiě le yì fēng hěn cháng de xìn

He wrote me a very long letter.

Sense 2: compose / author

Stretched to creative and extended work, 写 is "compose, author, write up": 写小说 "write a novel," 写歌 "write songs," 写文章 "write an article," 写报告 "write a report."

她利用业余时间写小说。

tā lìyòng yèyú shíjiān xiě xiǎoshuō

She writes novels in her spare time.

这首歌是他为女儿写的。

zhè shǒu gē shì tā wèi nǚ'ér xiě de

He wrote this song for his daughter.

老师让我们写一篇作文。

lǎoshī ràng wǒmen xiě yì piān zuòwén

The teacher had us write an essay.

Sense 3: 写 + result complement

This is where beginners level up. A plain 写了 only tells you writing happened; to say it was finished, correct, or recorded, attach a complement: 写完 (done), 写好 (properly finished / ready), 写错 (written wrongly), 写下来 (write down / jot).

报告我还没写完呢。

bàogào wǒ hái méi xiěwán ne

I haven't finished writing the report yet.

你这个字写错了，应该是这样。

nǐ zhège zì xiěcuò le, yīnggāi shì zhèyàng

You wrote this character wrong — it should be like this.

我怕忘，先把地址写下来。

wǒ pà wàng, xiān bǎ dìzhǐ xiě xiàlai

I'm afraid I'll forget, so let me write down the address first.

写 vs 画: writing vs drawing

Two different verbs. 写 is for language — characters, words, numbers. 画 (huà) is for pictures — drawings, diagrams, a line. A child who "can't write yet, only draw" captures the split exactly.

小孩子还不会写字，只会画画儿。

xiǎo háizi hái bú huì xiě zì, zhǐ huì huà huàr

The little one can't write yet — she can only draw.

Key collocations

Phrase	Pinyin	Meaning
写字	xiě zì	write (characters)
写信	xiě xìn	write a letter
写作业	xiě zuòyè	do (written) homework
写名字	xiě míngzi	write one's name
写完	xiěwán	finish writing
写好	xiěhǎo	write (properly, done)
写错	xiěcuò	write wrongly
写下来	xiě xiàlai	write down, jot
写小说	xiě xiǎoshuō	write novels
写作	xiězuò	writing (as a craft)

Grammar notes

写 takes a generic object when no specific one is meant — 写字 works like 吃饭 and 说话, giving the verb a "filler" object so it doesn't dangle (see generic objects). For completion and correctness, lean on the result complements — 写完 for finishing (the 完 completion complement) and 写错 for errors (the 对/错 result complement). To front the object of "write X somewhere," use 把: 把名字写在这里.

On word choice: 写 is producing text; 看 is taking it in silently, and 读 is reading it aloud or studying. "Do homework" can be either 写作业 (the writing) or 做作业 (the doing) — both are fine and interchangeable.

Common Mistakes

1. Leaving 写 with no object or complement. Bare 写 sounds unfinished — give it something to write, or a complement.

❌ 我每天写。

Incomplete — write what? Add an object: 我每天写日记 / 我每天练字.

✅ 我每天写日记。

wǒ měi tiān xiě rìjì

I write in my diary every day.

2. Using bare 写了 when you mean "finished writing." 写了 = did some writing; completion needs 写完了.

❌ 作业我写了，可以出去玩吗？

Ambiguous — 写了 only means you did some. For 'finished', say 写完了.

✅ 作业我写完了，可以出去玩吗？

zuòyè wǒ xiěwán le, kěyǐ chūqu wán ma

I've finished my homework — can I go out and play?

3. Using 写 for drawing. Characters are 写; pictures are 画.

❌ 我给你写一张画。

Wrong verb — a picture is drawn: 画一张画. 写 is only for writing.

✅ 我给你画一张画。

wǒ gěi nǐ huà yì zhāng huà

I'll draw you a picture.

4. Putting the location after the object, English-style. "Write X here" is 在这里写X, or 把X写在这里 — not 写X在这里.

❌ 请写你的名字在这里。

English word order — the place-phrase can't trail the object like this. Use 把…写在 or front the location.

✅ 请把你的名字写在这里。

qǐng bǎ nǐ de míngzi xiě zài zhèlǐ

Please write your name here.

Key Takeaways

写 = write — characters, letters, homework (写字, 写信, 写作业) — and compose (写小说, 写歌).
It wants an object or a result complement; bare 写 sounds unfinished.
写了 ≠ finished — use 写完了 for completion; 写错 for errors, 写下来 for jotting.
写 is for language, 画 is for pictures — don't cross them.
"Write X here" = 在这里写X / 把X写在这里, never 写X在这里.

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