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Making the PDF…
About this tian zi ge paper maker
Tian zi ge (田字格, tián zì gé) is the paper Chinese children learn to write on. Each square has a dashed cross inside, so it looks like the character 田 ("field"). The cross shows the middle of the square, and helps you put each part of a character in the right place.
This tool makes the paper as a PDF. Choose the grid, the size of the squares and a colour. Add the four pinyin lines above each row if you also practise pinyin. The page fills with as many whole squares as fit. Nothing is uploaded.
Features
- Four grids — 田 tian zi ge, 米 mi zi ge, 井 jiu gong ge and plain squares
- Six square sizes — 10, 12, 15, 18, 20 and 25 mm
- Pinyin lines — the four lines (四线三格) above each row of squares
- Five styles — red, green, blue, grey to save ink, or soft tinted squares
- Fills the page — whole squares only, centred on the page
- US Letter or A4, portrait or landscape, up to 50 pages
- Name and date line if you want one, and space between the rows
Which grid to choose
| Grid | Inside each square | Good for |
|---|---|---|
| 田 Tian zi ge | A dashed cross | Children and beginners, most homework |
| 米 Mi zi ge | A cross and two diagonals | Characters with slanting strokes (人, 大, 永), brush pen and calligraphy |
| 井 Jiu gong ge | 3 × 3 small squares | Balance and spacing, classic calligraphy copybooks |
| 口 Fang ge | Nothing | Dictation, tests and older students |
The guide lines are dashed and lighter than the square, so they help without taking over.
Square sizes and how many fit
The page fills with whole squares. With the web address at the bottom:
| Square | US Letter | A4 | Letter with pinyin | A4 with pinyin |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 mm | 18 × 24 = 432 | 18 × 26 = 468 | 18 × 15 = 270 | 18 × 16 = 288 |
| 12 mm | 15 × 20 = 300 | 15 × 22 = 330 | 15 × 12 = 180 | 15 × 13 = 195 |
| 15 mm | 12 × 16 = 192 | 12 × 17 = 204 | 12 × 10 = 120 | 12 × 11 = 132 |
| 18 mm | 10 × 13 = 130 | 10 × 14 = 140 | 10 × 8 = 80 | 10 × 9 = 90 |
| 20 mm | 9 × 12 = 108 | 9 × 13 = 117 | 9 × 7 = 63 | 9 × 8 = 72 |
| 25 mm | 7 × 9 = 63 | 7 × 10 = 70 | 7 × 6 = 42 | 7 × 6 = 42 |
Which size? 18 to 25 mm for children in their first school years. 15 mm for older children. 10 to 12 mm for adults and for everyday practice.
How to use the guide lines
- Find the middle first. Most characters are balanced around the cross. In 中, the long vertical stroke sits right on the dashed vertical line.
- Left and right parts. In 好, the 女 part takes the left half and 子 the right half. The vertical dashed line shows where they meet.
- Top and bottom parts. In 是, the 日 sits in the top half. The horizontal line shows where the bottom part starts.
- Slanting strokes. On 米 mi zi ge, the diagonals show the angle of the falling strokes, like the two long strokes of 人.
- Leave a little room. A character should not touch the edges of its square.
Pinyin lines (四线三格)
Pinyin is written on four lines with three spaces. The letters a, o, e and n stay in the middle space. Tall letters like b, d and l reach into the top space. Letters with a tail, like g, p and y, go down into the bottom space. The tone mark sits above the letter, in the top space. The third line is a little darker, because it is the line the letters sit on.
Frequently asked questions
What does tian zi ge mean?
田 (tián) means field, 字 (zì) means character and 格 (gé) means grid. The square with its cross looks like the character 田, so it is called the "field character grid".
What is the difference between tian zi ge and mi zi ge?
Tian zi ge has a cross in each square. Mi zi ge (米字格) adds two diagonal lines, so the square looks like the character 米. The diagonals help with slanting strokes.
Can I get a sheet with the characters already in it?
Yes, with our Kanji Practice Sheet. Type the characters and choose Chinese, simplified or traditional. You get a model, grey copies to trace and empty boxes, on the same kind of grid.
Does it work for Japanese and Korean too?
Yes. The squares do not depend on the language. Japanese and Korean learners use the same grids for kanji, kana and hangul.
Why are there empty edges on the page?
Only whole squares are printed, so the grid is centred and a small edge stays around it. Choose another square size to change how many fit.
Is it free?
Yes. No sign-up and no watermark. The PDF is made in your browser.
Good to know
- Print at Actual size or 100%, so a 15 mm square stays 15 mm.
- The Soft style tints each square in a pale blue-green, which is nice for children.
- Your settings are saved in this browser for your next visit.
Related tools
- Kanji Practice Sheet — the same grid with characters to trace
- Genkouyoushi — Japanese manuscript paper
- Wongoji — Korean manuscript paper
- Printable Graph Paper — plain squares in any size
- Lunar Calendar Converter — Chinese lunar dates
- Handwriting Worksheet Maker — tracing sheets for Latin letters
How to use it
- Choose the Grid: 田, 米, 井 or plain squares
- Choose the Square size, from 10 to 25 mm
- Tick Pinyin lines if you practise pinyin too
- Pick a Style, the paper and the number of Pages
- Click Download PDF or Print, and print at Actual size
