Skip to content
Start your Chinese Learning JourneyStart Now
丘 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
Qiūsurname Qiunr, 5 strokes, radical 一, rank #10178, Hard
Qiūmoundnr, 5 strokes, radical 一, rank #10178, Hard
Qiūhillocknr, 5 strokes, radical 一, rank #10178, Hard
Qiūgravenr, 5 strokes, radical 一, rank #10178, Hard
Qiūclassifier for fieldsnr, 5 strokes, radical 一, rank #10178, Hard
Qiūmound, hill; surnamenr, 5 strokes, radical 一, rank #10178, Hard
Qiū(Qiu1) T1
  1. 1mound
  2. 2hillock
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

Qiū(Qiu1)

丘 (qiū) primarily refers to a mound or hillock, representing a small elevated landform. It can also be used as a surname and as a classifier for fields, indicating its versatility in both geographical and personal contexts. In addition to its physical meaning, it can carry connotations related to burial sites or graves.

Strokes5RadicalFrequency#10178DifficultyHard
Cultural Note

The character 丘 often appears in Chinese place names that reference hills or mounds, reflecting the importance of natural landscapes in Chinese culture and history. Many ancient burial sites are also referred to by this term, linking it to ancestral reverence.

Memory Tip

Imagine a small hill (丘) shaped like a 'Q' for Qiū, where you might find a grave or a field. Visualize standing on a soft, grassy mound, looking out at a peaceful landscape, which helps you remember both the shape and the pronunciation.

Meanings of 丘

Qiū(Qiu1)
1mound
2hillock
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 丘

Simplified
5Strokes
Radical
人名míngcíproper noun (pr.n.)Part of Speech
#10178Frequency Rank

Podcast: 丘

JasonAmy

Podcast:

Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you

AI Study Notes for 丘

Quick Contrast

丘 (qiū, mound) vs 山 (shān, mountain) — use 丘 for smaller elevated landforms, while 山 refers to larger mountains.

Memory Mnemonic

Imagine a small hill (丘) shaped like a 'Q' for Qiū, where you might find a grave or a field. Visualize standing on a soft, grassy mound, looking out at a peaceful landscape, which helps you remember both the shape and the pronunciation.

Usage Notes

丘 is mostly used in written contexts rather than in colloquial speech. Be cautious not to confuse it with other similar characters like '丘' (qiū) and '丘陵' (qiūlíng - hill range). It is used formally and may appear in historical or geographical discussions.

HSK Study Tips

丘 is not on the official HSK list, but it's useful for learners at HSK 3 or 4 as it connects to geographical terms. Focus on recognizing it alongside other nature-related vocabulary, as well as its uses in family names and classifiers.

Cultural Note

The character 丘 often appears in Chinese place names that reference hills or mounds, reflecting the importance of natural landscapes in Chinese culture and history. Many ancient burial sites are also referred to by this term, linking it to ancestral reverence.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 丘 with similar characters like '丘陵' (hill range) or '山' (mountain). For example, saying '我住在一个丘陵' (I live in a hill range) instead of '我住在一个丘' (I live on a hill) can lead to misunderstandings.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 丘

Premium — Locked

AI tone practice

Pro

Drill the tone of with AI-powered exercises, get instant feedback, and earn XP toward mastery. Interactive tone practice is part of Pro.

Tone drillsInstant feedback+5 XP
See plans to unlock

Etymology of 丘

Formation TypePictographic 象形
六书 ClassificationPictograph (象形字)~4% of characters
Memory Hint

Two hills

Learn more about Pictograph (象形字) characters
Exercise 1 of 1

Character Formation Type

What type of character formation is 丘?

Decomposition of 丘

IDS Structure⿱斤一
Full Character
=
jin1
top
yi1
bottom
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 丘?

Write 丘

Practice writing stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.

Write correctly 3 times to earn XP

Grammar Patterns of 丘

丘 functions as a noun — it names a person, place, thing, or concept. Place it as a subject before the verb (主+谓) or as an object after the verb (谓+宾). Most Chinese nouns require a measure word between the number and the noun (e.g. 一个/三本). It carries 6 related meanings, each with its own usage notes below. The example sentences below show it in action, with practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) on every line.

Exercise 1 of 4

Complete the Sentence

我想在我的结婚蛋糕上装饰一些____比特的造型。

I would like my wedding cake decorated with cupids.

Example Sentences for 丘 (10)

Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
我想在我的结婚蛋糕上装饰一些丘比特的造型。

wǒ xiǎng zài wǒ de jié hūn dàn gāo shàng zhuāng shì yī xiē qiū bǐ tè de zào xíng。

I would like my wedding cake decorated with cupids.
2
从我们的房子里向外望去,景色宜人,一直能看到科茨沃尔德丘陵。

cóng wǒ mén de fáng zǐ lǐ xiàng wài wàng qù, , jǐng sè yí, rén , yī zhí néng kàn dào kē cí wò ěr dé。

Our house has got a splendid view across to the Cotswolds.
3
丘吉尔在世时,人们对他近乎崇拜。

qiū jí ěr zài shì shí, , rén mén duì tā jìn hū chóng。

Churchill was held in near veneration during his lifetime.
4
帕萨迪纳坐落于圣加布里埃尔山麓的丘陵地带。

pà sà dí nà zuò luò yú shèng jiā bù lǐ āi ěr shān lù de qiū líng dì dài。

Pasadena lies in the foothills of the San Gabriel mountains.
5
山丘上突然冒出一幢幢的房子。

shān qiū shàng tū rán mào chū yī chuáng chuáng de fáng zǐ。

Houses had sprung up out of nowhere on the hills.
6
温斯顿·丘吉尔在1945年的大选中被击败。

wēn sī dùn· · qiū jí ěr1945 zài 1945 nián de dà xuǎn zhōng bèi。

In 1945, Winston Churchill was defeated at the polls.
7
上个星期,这个部门的筑路机开始将特怀福德丘陵地带的浸水草甸推平。

shàng gè xīng qī, , zhè gè bù mén de zhù lù jī kāi shǐ jiāng tè huái fú dé qiū líng dì dài de jìn shuǐ cǎo diàn tuī。

Last week, the department's road builders began to bulldoze a water meadow on Twyford Down.
8
章丘大葱有高 、 长 、 脆 、 甜的突出特点.

zhāng qiū dà cōng yǒu gāo、 、、 cháng、 、 cuì 、 tián de tū.

The Zhangqiu green onion has high, long, crisp, the sweet prominent characteristic.
9
它的广袤服务,以满足他们的沙丘和沙渴.

tā de guǎng mào fú wù, , yǐ mǎn zú tā mén de shā qiū hé shā.

Its vast stretches serve to satisfy their thirst for dunes and sand.
10
在尼日尔的泰内雷沙漠中,一张滑翔伞在沙丘上投下了影子.

zài ní rì ěr de tài nèi léi shā mò zhōng, , yī zhāng huá xiáng sǎn zài shā qiū shàng tóu xià le yǐng.

A paraglider casts a shadow over the dunes of Niger's T é n é r é desert.

Cultural Notes for 丘

🏮Cultural insight

The character 丘 often appears in Chinese place names that reference hills or mounds, reflecting the importance of natural landscapes in Chinese culture and history. Many ancient burial sites are also referred to by this term, linking it to ancestral reverence.

Word Family of 丘

Compounds12
bing1soldiers
Yue4surname Yue
pang1(onom.) bang
ping1(onom.) ping
Qiu1mound, hill; grave; surname
qiu1earthworm (1)
Words Containing This Character18
Qiūmound
山丘hill
沙丘sand dune
丘吉尔surname Churchill丘吉爾
丘陵qiūlínghills
下丘脑hypothalamus (anatomy)下丘腦
丘疹pimple
商丘Shangqiu prefecture level city in Henan
丘脑thalamus丘腦
丘比特Cupid, son of Venus and Mars, Roman god of love and beauty
马丘比丘Machu Picchu馬丘比丘
土丘mound
丘成桐Shing-Tung Yau (1949-), Chinese-American mathematician, Fields medalist in 1982
商丘市Shangqiu prefecture level city in Henan
章丘Zhangqiu county level city in Ji'nan 濟南|济南[Jǐ​nán], Shandong
孔丘Confucius
小丘hill
比丘Buddhist monk (loanword from Sanskrit "bhiksu")
Exercise 1 of 4

Compound Meaning

What does 兵 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 丘

丘 (qiū) means hill or mound, and it can also be a surname.