Mandarin TempleMandarin Temple Beta Come for Knowledge. Stay for Wisdom.
Start your Chinese Learning JourneyStart Now
圬 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
圬wūto whitewash, to plaster over with mudg, 6 strokes, radical 土, rank #69640, Very Hard
圬wūto plasterunknown, 6 strokes, radical 土, rank #69640, Very Hard
圬wūwhitewashunknown, 6 strokes, radical 土, rank #69640, Very Hard
wū(wu1) T1
  1. 1to whitewash, to plaster over with mud
  2. 2to plaster
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

圬wū(wu1)

The character 圬 (wū) refers to the act of whitewashing or applying a layer of plaster, often with mud, to walls or surfaces. This process is commonly used in construction and renovation to protect and beautify structures, particularly in traditional building practices.

Strokes6Radical土Frequency#69640DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note

In traditional Chinese architecture, the use of mud plastering is not just functional but also considered an art form, contributing to the aesthetics of rural homes. This technique has been used for centuries and is a significant part of local building heritage.

Memory Tip

Imagine a wall covered in a smooth layer of white plaster that glistens in the sun. The character 圬 looks like a house (the roof radical at the top) being coated with a fresh layer of plaster, representing the meaning of whitewashing. Remember 'wū' sounds like 'woo,' as if you’re trying to charm the wall into looking beautiful!

Meanings of 圬

wū(wu1)
1to whitewash, to plaster over with mud
2to plaster
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 圬

圬Simplified
6Strokes
土Radical
语素morpheme (morph.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 圬

JasonAmy

Podcast: 圬

Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you

AI Study Notes for 圬

Usage Notes

Learners often confuse 圬 with characters related to painting and decoration. It is used mostly in formal contexts related to construction. Be mindful of the tone; 圬 is pronounced with a flat tone, so avoid making it sound rising or falling.

HSK Study Tips

Although 圬 is not an HSK vocabulary word, it connects to HSK level 3 words related to building and home, such as 房子 (fángzi, house) and 墙 (qiáng, wall). Students should focus on the context of construction and maintenance vocabulary.

Common Mistakes

Learners may mistakenly use 圬 to refer to painting walls instead of plastering them, as in saying '我想用圬给墙上色' (I want to use 圬 to color the wall), which should instead specify painting techniques like 漆 (qī, paint).

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 圬

Premium — Locked

AI tone practice

Pro

Drill the tone of 圬 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 圬

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

earth

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

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 圬

  1. 1The meaning half土 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half亏 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
  3. 3The giveawayearth
  4. 4On the record aspictophonetic.

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

Want the full history of 圬? 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 圬?

Decomposition of 圬

IDS Structure⿰土亏
圬Full Character
=
土Tu3
left
亏kui1
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 圬?

How to say to whitewash, to plaster over with mud in Chinese

“to whitewash, to plaster over with mud” in Chinese is圬wū

The character 圬 (wū) refers to the act of whitewashing or applying a layer of plaster, often with mud, to walls or surfaces. This process is commonly used in construction and renovation to protect and beautify structures, particularly in traditional building practices.

When to use 圬

Learners often confuse 圬 with characters related to painting and decoration. It is used mostly in formal contexts related to construction. Be mindful of the tone; 圬 is pronounced with a flat tone, so avoid making it sound rising or falling.

What learners get wrong

Learners may mistakenly use 圬 to refer to painting walls instead of plastering them, as in saying '我想用圬给墙上色' (I want to use 圬 to color the wall), which should instead specify painting techniques like 漆 (qī, paint).

Write 圬

圬

Practice writing 圬 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 圬

Words Containing This Character1
圬wūto plaster
Exercise 1 of 1

Compound Meaning

What does 圬 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 圬

It is not commonly used in daily conversation but may appear in discussions about construction or home improvement.

Jason Recommends

Not sure what to learn after 圬?

Jason picks three words from your level and explains why each one is worth your time next. It takes a free account so he knows what you already know.