CLZW

RISC-V CLZW Instruction Details

Instruction ManualI-type (OP-IMM-32, RV64)

Count leading zero bits in word (RV64)

Instruction Syntax

clzw rd, rs1
Operand Breakdown
This is a I-type (OP-IMM-32, RV64)-format instruction. Confirm operand positions based on the assembly syntax.
ZbbBit Manipulation

Instruction Behavior

clzw on RV64 examines only the low 32 bits of rs1 and returns a count from 0 to 32.

CLZW Decode And Execute Animation

Starts with machine-code field decoding, then shows operand reads, instruction-specific execution, and ISA-visible state update.

rd
rs1
clzw
,
Execution Context
t1(x6)
0x0000000000000014
31..20
19..15
14..12
11..7
6..0
011000000000
fixed imm[11:0]
00110
rs1
001
funct3
00101
rd
0011011
opcode
Execution Data Path
instruction
0x6003129B
opcode
0011011 -> OP-IMM-32
funct3
001 -> CLZW
fixed imm[11:0]
011000000000 -> CLZW selector
rd / rs1
t0(x5) / t1(x6)=0x00000014
fixed imm[11:0]
011000000000 selects CLZW (not an arithmetic immediate)
zero-bit scan
scan rs1[31] toward rs1[0] for the first 1 -> 27
x5
t0(x5) = 0x000000000000001B
Current Step

Concept Step: receive the 32-bit instruction encoding

The machine code is split by the current instruction format; the animation starts from encoding/decode.

encoding: 0x6003129B
syntax : clzw t0(x5), t1(x6)
result : t0(x5) = 0x000000000000001B
Architectural Result
t0(x5) = 0x000000000000001B

This animation shows ISA-visible decode and state changes, not any specific CPU pipeline, cache, prediction, or timing implementation.

Quick Understanding & Search Notes

clzw on RV64 examines only the low 32 bits of rs1 and returns a count from 0 to 32.

CLZW is an RV64 Zbb OP-IMM-32 instruction and examines only the low 32 bits of rs1.
If the low 32 bits are zero, the result is 32, not XLEN.

Common Usage Scenarios

Bit Operations & Masks

Understand this scenario with real code like «clzw x10, x11 ; x10 = leading zeros in x11[31:0]».

Pre-Use Checklist

Syntax Check
  • Confirm the current instruction format is I-type (OP-IMM-32, RV64).
  • Confirm the operand order matches the example.
Semantic Check
  • Ensure the destination register usage is compatible with the calling convention.
  • Confirm this is not the lower-level form of a pseudo-instruction expansion.

Pitfalls / Common Confusions

If the low 32 bits are zero, the result is 32, not XLEN.

FAQ

Does clzw access memory?

No. It reads integer register operands and writes rd only.

Does clzw interpret signed numbers?

These bit operations work on bit patterns directly; aside from the specified word-width selection, arithmetic signed magnitude is not used.