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呂 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
a musical note; surnamex, 7 strokes, radical 口, Very Hard
(lü3) T3
  1. 1a musical note; surname
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026
(lü3)

The character 呂 (lǚ) primarily refers to a musical note, specifically in traditional Chinese music theory. It is also a common Chinese surname. In contexts related to music, it often denotes specific pitches or tones.

Strokes7RadicalFrequency#—DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, music plays a significant role in celebrations and rituals, with the character 呂 often appearing in discussions of traditional music practices. The surname 呂 is also historically significant, with notable figures in Chinese history bearing this name.

Memory Tip

Imagine a musical note that looks like a flute (lǚ sounds like 'loo' which is a playful sound a flute makes). The character has a mouth (口) radical which can remind you that music is often produced vocally or through instruments.

Meanings of 呂

(lü3)
1a musical note; surname
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 呂

Simplified
7Strokes
Radical
非语素字non-morpheme character (n-m.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 呂

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AI Study Notes for 呂

Memory Mnemonic

Imagine a musical note that looks like a flute (lǚ sounds like 'loo' which is a playful sound a flute makes). The character has a mouth (口) radical which can remind you that music is often produced vocally or through instruments.

Usage Notes

Be mindful that 呂 is often used in formal contexts related to music and may not be commonly used in everyday conversation. Common collocations include 呂洞賓 (Lǚ Dòngbīn), a famous figure in Taoist mythology. Pay attention to the tone; a mispronunciation may lead to confusion with other characters.

HSK Study Tips

Since 呂 is not included in the HSK vocabulary lists, it’s wise to focus on its musical context and surname usage. Connecting it to other words associated with music, like 音 (yīn) for 'sound,' can enhance memory retention.

Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, music plays a significant role in celebrations and rituals, with the character 呂 often appearing in discussions of traditional music practices. The surname 呂 is also historically significant, with notable figures in Chinese history bearing this name.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 呂 (lǚ) with other similar-sounding characters like 吕 (lǚ), which has the same pronunciation but different usages. Ensure to use the correct character depending on the context, especially in writing.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 呂

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Etymology of 呂

Decomposition of 呂

IDS Structure⿳口丿口
Full Character
=
kou3
top
丿pie3
middle
kou3
bottom
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 呂?

Write 呂

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

Cultural Notes for 呂

🏮Cultural insight

In Chinese culture, music plays a significant role in celebrations and rituals, with the character 呂 often appearing in discussions of traditional music practices. The surname 呂 is also historically significant, with notable figures in Chinese history bearing this name.

Word Family of 呂

Words Containing This Character15
surname Lü
吕布Lü Bu (-198), general and warlord呂布
吕宋岛Luzon Island, north Philippines呂宋島
吕不韦Lü Buwei (?291-235 BC), merchant and politician of the State of Qin 秦國|秦国[Qín​guó], subsequent Qin Dynasty 秦代[Qín​dài] Chancellor, allegedly the father of Ying Zheng 嬴政[Yíng​Zhèng], who subsequently became the first emperor Qin Shihuang 秦始皇[Qín​Shǐ​huáng]呂不韋
吕梁Lüliang prefecture-level city in Shanxi 山西呂梁
吕蒙Lü Meng (178-219), general of the southern state of Wu呂蒙
吕梁市Lüliang prefecture-level city in Shanxi 山西呂梁市
吕洞宾Lü Dongbin (796-), Tang Dynasty scholar, one of the Eight Immortals 八仙[Bā​xiān]呂洞賓
律吕tuning律呂
吕望see Jiang Ziya 姜子牙[Jiāng​Zǐ​yá]呂望
吕贝克Lübeck, Germany呂貝克
吕纯阳Lü Dongbin (796-), Tang Dynasty scholar, one of the Eight Immortals 八仙[Bā​xiān]呂純陽
萨尔布吕肯Saarbrücken, capital of Saarland, Germany薩爾布呂肯
吕宋海峡Luzon Strait between Taiwan and Luzon Island (Philippines)呂宋海峽
泽布吕赫Zeebrugge (port city in Belgium)澤布呂赫
Exercise 1 of 4

Compound Meaning

What does 吕 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 呂

The correct pronunciation is lǚ, with a falling-rising tone.