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暑 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
Hanzi
Pinyin
English
Tags
暑
shǔ
heat
t, 12 strokes, radical 日, rank #45136, Very Hard
暑
shǔ
hot weather
t, 12 strokes, radical 日, rank #45136, Very Hard
暑
shǔ
summer heat
t, 12 strokes, radical 日, rank #45136, Very Hard
暑
shǔ
hot; heat; summer
t, 12 strokes, radical 日, rank #45136, Very Hard
shǔ(shu3)shu T3
1heat
2hot weather
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March 24, 2026
暑shǔ(shu3)
The character 暑 (shǔ) primarily means 'heat' or 'hot weather,' especially in the context of summer. It is commonly used to describe the high temperatures experienced during the summer months or in very warm climates. It can also refer to the sensation of heat itself in various contexts.
Strokes12Radical日Frequency#45136DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural note
In China, the concept of 暑 is often linked to traditional summer activities, such as going on vacations, enjoying cold dishes like watermelon, and participating in festivals during the hot months, illustrating the significance of seasonal changes in daily life.
Memory tip
Imagine a scorching summer day where the sun is shining brightly (the sun is a component of the character 暑). Picture yourself sweating as you soak up the 'heat' (shǔ) of the summer sun. The sun's rays are so intense that they seem to radiate the feeling of heat all around you!
Meanings of 暑
shǔ(shu3)
1heat
2hot weather
Exercise 1 of 3
By ear
Play it, then pick what 暑 means.
About 暑
暑Simplified
12Strokes
日Radical
时间词time word (t.)Part of Speech
#45136Frequency Rank
Podcast: 暑
Podcast: 暑
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AI study notes for 暑
Quick Contrast
炎 (yán) - use 暑 (shǔ) for general hot weather, while 炎 (yán) specifically refers to intense heat or flames.
Usage Notes
A common mistake is to confuse 暑 with 热 (rè), which also means 'hot' but is often used for temperature rather than weather. Use 暑 specifically when discussing summer heat. It is more commonly used in informal contexts but may appear in written forms, like weather reports.
HSK Study Tips
Although 暑 is not included in the official HSK levels, it is related to other vocabulary about seasons and weather, such as 春 (chūn, spring) and 冬 (dōng, winter). Students should focus on using 暑 in sentences about weather to reinforce its meaning.
Common Mistakes
Learners often confuse 暑 with 热, using them interchangeably. For example, saying '今天很热' (jīntiān hěn rè) is correct, but if specifically referring to summer, '今天很暑' is more appropriate.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 暑
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Example
Learning Lab
Knowing 暑 is seven skills, not one.
Its meaning, its character, its pinyin, its tone — hearing it, saying it, writing it. The Learning Lab measures each one from your own practice, on every word you study, so you see what you actually know rather than how much you have done.
暑 = 日 + 者. What kind of character does that make it?
Decomposition of 暑
IDS Structure⿱日者
暑Full character
=
日Ri4
top
者zhe3
bottom
Exercise 1 of 2
Parts
Which of these is part of 暑?
How to say heat in Chinese
“heat” in Chinese is暑shǔ
The character 暑 (shǔ) primarily means 'heat' or 'hot weather,' especially in the context of summer. It is commonly used to describe the high temperatures experienced during the summer months or in very warm climates. It can also refer to the sensation of heat itself in various contexts.
When to use 暑
A common mistake is to confuse 暑 with 热 (rè), which also means 'hot' but is often used for temperature rather than weather. Use 暑 specifically when discussing summer heat. It is more commonly used in informal contexts but may appear in written forms, like weather reports.
暑 or something close to it
炎 (yán) - use 暑 (shǔ) for general hot weather, while 炎 (yán) specifically refers to intense heat or flames.
What learners get wrong
Learners often confuse 暑 with 热, using them interchangeably. For example, saying '今天很热' (jīntiān hěn rè) is correct, but if specifically referring to summer, '今天很暑' is more appropriate.
Write 暑
暑
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Grammar patterns of 暑
暑 carries 4 distinct meanings. Below you'll find the patterns that show how it combines with other words, plus example sentences pulled directly from native usage.
No cold here in winter, summer without heat, steam moderate rainfall.
11
今天的暑真是让人难受。
Jīntiān de shǔ zhēn shì ràng rén nánshòu.
Today's heat is really unbearable.
12
在暑天，我们喜欢去海边游泳。
Zài shǔ tiān, wǒmen xǐhuān qù hǎibiān yóuyǒng.
In the heat of summer, we like to go swimming at the beach.
13
学校放暑假了，我很开心。
Xuéxiào fàng shǔjià le, wǒ hěn kāixīn.
School is on summer break, I'm very happy.
14
因为暑，我每天都喝很多水。
Yīnwèi shǔ, wǒ měitiān dōu hē hěn duō shuǐ.
Because of the heat, I drink a lot of water every day.
15
夏天的暑让我想吃冰淇淋。
Xiàtiān de shǔ ràng wǒ xiǎng chī bīngqílín.
The summer heat makes me want to eat ice cream.
16
这个城市的暑特别难忍。
Zhège chéngshì de shǔ tèbié nán rěn.
The heat in this city is particularly unbearable.
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Word Family of 暑
Compounds2
濐zhǔ
鱪shǔ
Words containing this character15
暑假shǔjiàsummer vacation
暑期shǔqīsummer vacation time
避暑bìshǔto prevent sunstroke
中暑zhòngshǔsunstroke
暑shǔheat
酷暑kùshǔintense heat
消暑xiāoshǔto spend a summer holiday
防暑降温fángshǔjiàngwēnto prevent heatstroke and reduce temperature防暑降溫
暑热shǔrèhot (summer) weather暑熱
大暑dàshǔDashu or Great Heat, 12th of the 24 solar terms 二十四節氣|二十四节气 23rd July-6th August
避暑山庄bìshǔshānzhuāngmountain resort避暑山莊
暑气shǔqì(summer) heat暑氣
暑天shǔtiānhot (summer) day
小暑xiǎoshǔXiaoshu or Lesser Heat, 11th of the 24 solar terms 二十四節氣|二十四节气 7th-22nd July
处暑chǔshǔChushu or End of Heat, 14th of the 24 solar terms 二十四節氣|二十四节气 23rd August-7th September處暑
Exercise 1 of 4
Words with 暑
What does 暑假 mean?
Frequently asked questions about 暑
Related words include 夏天 (xiàtiān), which means 'summer,' and 热 (rè), meaning 'hot.' These words are often used together to describe the warmest season of the year and the temperatures associated with it.
'Summer heat' in Chinese can be expressed as 暑热 (shǔrè). This term combines 暑, meaning 'heat,' with 热, which also means 'hot,' to emphasize the intensity of the heat during the summer months.
暑 (shǔ) means 'heat' or 'hot weather' in Chinese. It is often used in the context of summer, referring to the hot temperatures that characterize this season. The character can also describe the uncomfortable heat experienced during the hottest days.
You can use 暑 (shǔ) in a sentence like '今天天气很暑' (jīntiān tiānqì hěn shǔ), which means 'Today the weather is very hot.' It is commonly used to talk about the heat during summer or in discussions about the weather.
You can say '今天很暑' (jīntiān hěn shǔ) meaning 'Today is very hot.'
暑 is used in both spoken and written Chinese, but you may encounter it more in formal contexts like weather reports.
Synonyms include 热 (rè) for 'hot' and 炎热 (yánrè) for 'scorching heat.'
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