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俣 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
俣yǔbigx, 9 strokes, radical 亻
yǔ(yu3) T3
  1. 1big
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

俣(俁)yǔ(yu3)

The character 俣 (yǔ) means 'big' or 'large' and is often used in formal or literary contexts. It can describe size or importance, and while not commonly used in everyday conversation, it may appear in classical texts or certain idiomatic expressions.

Strokes9Radical亻
Cultural Note

In classical Chinese literature, words like 俣 might be used to describe grand concepts, significant figures, or monumental events, reflecting the cultural appreciation for greatness and significance in history.

Memory Tip

Imagine a giant (大) figure (人) standing beside a tree (木) — together they create a massive presence, representing the meaning of 'big' in 俣. The shape of the character reflects a person (人) who is exceptionally large or prominent.

Meanings of 俣

yǔ(yu3)
1big
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 俣

俣Simplified
俁Traditional
9Strokes
亻Radical
非语素字non-morpheme character (n-m.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 俣

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Podcast: 俣

Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you

AI Study Notes for 俣

Usage Notes

俣 is not frequently used in modern spoken Mandarin, so it's important to recognize its context in written form. Avoid using it in casual conversation, as more common synonyms like 大 (dà) are preferable. Be careful with tonal pronunciation; the third tone (yǔ) should be pronounced correctly to avoid confusion with other characters.

HSK Study Tips

俣 does not appear in the HSK vocabulary lists, but it can be connected to words like 大 (dà) and 巨大 (jùdà), which are more commonly used. Focus on understanding its literary significance and differentiating it from more frequently used terms for 'big.'

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 俣 with more common characters like 大. For example, using 俣 in everyday speech instead of 大 can sound overly formal and awkward. Remember to use 大 in casual contexts.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 俣

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Etymology of 俣

Formation Typepictophonetic
六书 ClassificationPhono-semantic (形声字)~80-90% of characters
Memory Hint

person

Semantic (meaning)亻
+
Phonetic (sound)吴
Learn more about Phono-semantic (形声字) characters

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 俣

  1. 1The meaning half亻 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half吴 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
  3. 3The giveawayperson
  4. 4On the record aspictophonetic.

Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.

Want the full history of 俣? 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 俣?

Decomposition of 俣

IDS Structure⿰亻吴
俣Full Character
=
亻ren2
left
吴Wu2
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 俣?

How to say big in Chinese

“big” in Chinese is俣yǔ

The character 俣 (yǔ) means 'big' or 'large' and is often used in formal or literary contexts. It can describe size or importance, and while not commonly used in everyday conversation, it may appear in classical texts or certain idiomatic expressions.

When to use 俣

俣 is not frequently used in modern spoken Mandarin, so it's important to recognize its context in written form. Avoid using it in casual conversation, as more common synonyms like 大 (dà) are preferable. Be careful with tonal pronunciation; the third tone (yǔ) should be pronounced correctly to avoid confusion with other characters.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 俣 with more common characters like 大. For example, using 俣 in everyday speech instead of 大 can sound overly formal and awkward. Remember to use 大 in casual contexts.

Write 俣

俣

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

Write correctly 3 times to earn XP

Word Family of 俣

Words Containing This Character2
俣yǔbig俁
水俣病Minamata disease (mercury poisoning found in Southern Japan in 1956)水俁病
Exercise 1 of 2

Compound Meaning

What does 俣 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 俣

No, 俣 is more commonly found in literary or formal contexts.

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