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March 24, 2026
乳rǔ(ru3)
The character 乳 (rǔ) primarily means 'breast' or 'milk', and is commonly used in contexts relating to nursing or dairy products. It can refer to the physical breast, the act of suckling, or dairy products derived from milk, such as cheese. In a broader sense, it can also be used metaphorically in discussions of nourishment or sustenance.
Strokes8Radical乚Frequency#5342DifficultyHard
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, 乳 is significant not only in nutrition but also in traditional practices, such as the use of milk-based products in various regional cuisines. Additionally, breast milk is highly valued for its role in nurturing infants.
Memory Tip
Imagine a cow (which produces milk) with a big 'R' shape on its side representing '乳'. This visual connects the character's shape with its meaning of 'milk' and 'breast'. You could also think of 'rǔ' sounding like 'roo', as in kangaroo, which also carries their young in a pouch, similar to how mammals nourish their young with milk.
Meanings of 乳
rǔ(ru3)
1breast
2milk
Exercise 1 of 2
Listen & Choose the Meaning
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About 乳
乳Simplified
8Strokes
乚Radical
名语素míngcínoun root (n.root)Part of Speech
#5342Frequency Rank
Podcast: 乳
Podcast: 乳
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AI Study Notes for 乳
Quick Contrast
乳 (rǔ) vs 奶 (nǎi) — use 乳 when referring specifically to the breast or milk in a biological context, while 奶 is more commonly used for milk in general or dairy products.
Usage Notes
Learners often confuse 乳 with similar-sounding words or characters. It's informal and commonly used in everyday contexts, especially when describing dairy products. Be careful with the tone; the third tone (rǔ) is essential to convey the correct meaning.
HSK Study Tips
Although not part of the HSK curriculum, 乳 is relevant as it connects to other vocabulary related to food and nourishment. Focus on its usage in culinary contexts, especially when discussing dairy or nutrition-related topics. Understanding related terms can help build your vocabulary further.
Common Mistakes
Learners sometimes confuse 乳 with the character for 'milk' (牛奶 - niú nǎi), mistakenly using them interchangeably. Remember that 乳 specifically refers to the breast or breast milk, while 牛奶 refers to cow's milk.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 乳
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2The sound half孚 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
3The giveawayhidden
4On the record aspictophonetic.
Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.
Want the full history of 乳? Jason searches the paleographic record, weighs the competing accounts and judges the popular story.
Charged once for this character — everyone reads it afterwards.
Exercise 1 of 1
Character Formation Type
What type of character formation is 乳?
Decomposition of 乳
IDS Structure⿰孚乚
乳Full Character
=
孚fu2
left
乚gou1
right
Exercise 1 of 2
Identify the Components
Which of these is a component of 乳?
How to say breast in Chinese
“breast” in Chinese is乳rǔ
The character 乳 (rǔ) primarily means 'breast' or 'milk', and is commonly used in contexts relating to nursing or dairy products. It can refer to the physical breast, the act of suckling, or dairy products derived from milk, such as cheese. In a broader sense, it can also be used metaphorically in discussions of nourishment or sustenance.
When to use 乳
Learners often confuse 乳 with similar-sounding words or characters. It's informal and commonly used in everyday contexts, especially when describing dairy products. Be careful with the tone; the third tone (rǔ) is essential to convey the correct meaning.
乳 or something close to it
乳 (rǔ) vs 奶 (nǎi) — use 乳 when referring specifically to the breast or milk in a biological context, while 奶 is more commonly used for milk in general or dairy products.
What learners get wrong
Learners sometimes confuse 乳 with the character for 'milk' (牛奶 - niú nǎi), mistakenly using them interchangeably. Remember that 乳 specifically refers to the breast or breast milk, while 牛奶 refers to cow's milk.
Write 乳
乳
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Practice writing 乳 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
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Grammar Patterns of 乳
乳 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 3 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
____牛的喂养方法发生了巨大的改变。
The feeding of dairy cows has undergone a revolution.
Example Sentences for 乳 (10)
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1
乳牛的喂养方法发生了巨大的改变。
rǔ niú de wèi yǎng fāng fǎ fā shēng le jù dà de gǎi biàn。
The feeding of dairy cows has undergone a revolution.
2
喝这酒的时候可以搭配浓乳酪或淡乳酪。
hē zhè jiǔ de shí hòu kě yǐ dā pèi nóng rǔ lào huò dàn rǔ lào。
The wine goes with strong and mild cheese alike.
3
用贮藏的一罐炼乳为茶添加了甜味。
yòng zhù cáng de yī guàn liàn rǔ wéi chá tiān jiā le tián wèi。
The tea was sweetened with a hoarded tin of condensed milk.
