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March 24, 2026
叔shū(shu1)
The character 叔 (shū) means 'uncle,' specifically referring to a father's younger brother or a husband's younger brother in Chinese family relationships. It is commonly used in both spoken and written Chinese to denote this familial connection, and can also be used as a term of respect when addressing older men in certain contexts.
Strokes8Radical又Frequency#18559DifficultyHard
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, the concept of extended family is significant, and terms like 叔 (shū) highlight the importance of familial relationships. Uncles often play a vital role in family gatherings and are respected figures within the family unit.
Memory Tip
Imagine a young man (the 'younger' in 'younger brother') holding a sign with '叔' on it. The character has the radical for 'elder' (in the left part) and a component that sounds like 'shū,' helping you remember that this is an uncle who is younger than your father. Visualize this young uncle giving advice, which connects to the pronunciation.
Meanings of 叔
shū(shu1)
1uncle
2father's younger brother
Exercise 1 of 2
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About 叔
叔Simplified
8Strokes
又Radical
名词míngcínoun (n.)Part of Speech
#18559Frequency Rank
Podcast: 叔
Podcast: 叔
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AI Study Notes for 叔
Quick Contrast
伯 (bó) vs 叔 (shū): Use 叔 for a father's younger brother, while 伯 refers to a father's older brother.
Memory Mnemonic
Imagine a young man (the 'younger' in 'younger brother') holding a sign with '叔' on it. The character has the radical for 'elder' (in the left part) and a component that sounds like 'shū,' helping you remember that this is an uncle who is younger than your father. Visualize this young uncle giving advice, which connects to the pronunciation.
Usage Notes
Be careful not to confuse 叔 (shū) with 伯 (bó), which refers to an older brother of your father. In informal settings, you can use 叔叔 (shūshu) as a more casual way to address an uncle or older male. Ensure you use the correct tone, as mispronouncing it could lead to confusion with other terms.
HSK Study Tips
Although 叔 (shū) is not in the official HSK vocabulary lists, it can be useful for learners at HSK Level 2 and above, as it relates to family vocabulary. Focus on using this character in sentences describing family members, which will help you reinforce your understanding of kinship terms.
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, the concept of extended family is significant, and terms like 叔 (shū) highlight the importance of familial relationships. Uncles often play a vital role in family gatherings and are respected figures within the family unit.
Common Mistakes
Learners often confuse 叔 (shū) with 叔叔 (shūshu) when addressing uncles, thinking they can use the character alone. Remember, while 叔 is the character for 'uncle,' 叔叔 is the correct way to address him directly.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 叔
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Grammar Patterns of 叔
叔 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 5 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.
Tigress pulled him over, rather like an affectionate elder sister - in - law .
9
他对克尔恺郭尔与叔本华的深刻了解让我很吃惊。
tā duì kè ěr kǎi guō ěr yǔ shū běn huá de shēn kè le jiě ràng wǒ hěn chī jīng。
He surprised me with his intimate knowledge of Kierkegaard and Schopenhauer.
10
我和叔父甚少联系。
wǒ hé shū fù shèn shǎo lián xì。
I don't have much contact with my uncle.
Cultural Notes for 叔
💡Did you know?
In Chinese culture, family hierarchy is very important. The term 叔 (shū) is not only used for uncles but also reflects respect for elders in the family. It shows the traditional value placed on family relationships.
🏮Cultural insight
In Chinese culture, the concept of extended family is significant, and terms like 叔 (shū) highlight the importance of familial relationships. Uncles often play a vital role in family gatherings and are respected figures within the family unit.
🌏Cross-cultural Insight
In many Western cultures, the term 'uncle' can refer to a friend's father or a close family friend. In contrast, in Chinese culture, 叔 specifically refers to the father's younger brother, reflecting a more structured view of familial relationships.
Word Family of 叔
Compounds15
督du1to supervise and direct
寂ji4silent
椒jiao1pepper
淑shu1good, pure, virtuous; charming
婌
俶
惄
菽shu1legumes
踧
埱
掓
琡
裻
諔
錖
Words Containing This Character17
叔叔shūshuuncle
叔shūuncle
大叔eldest of father's younger brothers
叔父uncle
表叔son of grandfather's sister
小叔brother-in-law
叔公great uncle
叔祖grandfather's younger brother
叔伯(of cousins) descending from the same grandfather or great-grandfather
叔本华Arthur Schopenhauer (1788-1860), German post-Kantian philosopher叔本華
李叔同Liu Shutong (1880-1942), painter, Buddhist monk and distinguished figure in New Culture Movement 新文化運動|新文化运动[XīnWénhuàYùndòng] after the Xinhai Revolution 辛亥革命[XīnhàiGémìng] of 1911
叔母aunt
王叔文Wang Shuwen (735-806), famous Tang dynasty scholar, Go player and politician, a leader of failed Yongzhen Reform 永貞革新|永贞革新[YǒngzhēnGéxīn] of 805
家叔(polite) my uncle (father's younger brother)
叔子brother-in-law
叔婆aunt by marriage
叔祖母wife of paternal grandfather's younger brother
Exercise 1 of 4
Compound Meaning
What does 督 mean?
Frequently Asked Questions about 叔
Yes, there is a subtle difference. 叔 (shū) is the character that means 'uncle,' while 叔叔 (shūshu) is the more commonly used term to refer to 'uncle' in conversation. The reduplication of the character makes it more affectionate and is widely used in everyday speech.
Related terms include 叔母 (shūmǔ), which refers to the wife of one's uncle, and 伯 (bó), which means 'elder uncle' or 'father's older brother.' Understanding these terms can help you navigate family relationships in Chinese.
叔 (shū) means 'uncle' in Chinese, specifically referring to a father's younger brother or a husband's younger brother. It is commonly used in familial contexts to denote this relationship. In Taiwan, it is pronounced as 'shu2'.
To use 叔 (shū) in a sentence, you can say something like '我的叔叔很有趣' (Wǒ de shūshu hěn yǒuqù), which means 'My uncle is very interesting.' This shows the use of 叔 to refer to your uncle in a casual conversation.
叔 (shū) refers to a father's younger brother, while 伯 (bó) refers to a father's older brother.
No, 叔 specifically refers to a younger uncle; be sure to use 伯 for older uncles.
Yes, in Taiwan, 叔 can be pronounced as [shú] or [shu2], but mainstream Mandarin uses [shū].
