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柘 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
柘zhècudrania, mulberry; sugarcanens, 9 strokes, radical 木
柘zhèa thorny treeunknown, 9 strokes, radical 木
柘zhèCudrania trilobaunknown, 9 strokes, radical 木
柘zhèthree-bristle cudrania (Cudrania tricuspidata)unknown, 9 strokes, radical 木
柘zhèChinese mulberry (Cudrania)unknown, 9 strokes, radical 木
zhè(zhe4) T4
  1. 1cudrania, mulberry; sugarcane
  2. 2a thorny tree
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March 24, 2026

柘zhè(zhe4)

The character 柘 (zhè) refers to the cudrania tree, which is a thorny tree known for its fruit and wood. It can also denote sugarcane and is associated with several species of the Cudrania genus, often found in southern China. This term is used in agricultural contexts and discussions about traditional Chinese botany.

Strokes9Radical木
Cultural Note

In traditional Chinese agriculture, various trees like the cudrania play a role in local diets and ecosystems, symbolizing the importance of sustainable practices and the relationship between nature and community. The fruit of the cudrania is enjoyed in certain regional cuisines.

Memory Tip

Imagine a thorny tree (柘) where you find sweet sugarcane growing nearby. The character features the radical '木' (tree) on the left, reminding you that it relates to plants. The pronunciation 'zhè' can be remembered by picturing a 'jet' of sugarcane juice shooting out from the tree.

Meanings of 柘

zhè(zhe4)
1cudrania, mulberry; sugarcane
2a thorny tree
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 柘

柘Simplified
9Strokes
木Radical
地名míngcíplace name (p.n.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 柘

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Podcast: 柘

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AI Study Notes for 柘

Usage Notes

柘 is not commonly used in everyday conversation, which can lead to learners feeling unsure about when to use it. It’s more prevalent in literary or botanical contexts. Be cautious with the tone 'zhè' as it is a falling tone; confusing it with other similar-sounding words may lead to misunderstandings.

HSK Study Tips

While 柘 is not part of the HSK vocabulary, understanding it can enhance your knowledge of specific plant-related terms. Students should focus on recognizing the character in texts discussing agriculture or botany, connecting it with other related terms like '糖' (sugar) and '果' (fruit).

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 柘 with similar-sounding characters like 这 (zhè), which means 'this'. For example, saying '这树' (this tree) instead of '柘树' (cudrania tree) can lead to confusion. Always pay attention to context to ensure proper usage.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 柘

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Etymology of 柘

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

tree

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

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 柘

  1. 1The meaning half木 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half石 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
  3. 3The giveawaytree
  4. 4On the record aspictophonetic.

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

Want the full history of 柘? 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 柘?

Decomposition of 柘

IDS Structure⿰木石
柘Full Character
=
木Mu4
left
石dan4
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 柘?

How to say cudrania, mulberry; sugarcane in Chinese

“cudrania, mulberry; sugarcane” in Chinese is柘zhè

The character 柘 (zhè) refers to the cudrania tree, which is a thorny tree known for its fruit and wood. It can also denote sugarcane and is associated with several species of the Cudrania genus, often found in southern China. This term is used in agricultural contexts and discussions about traditional Chinese botany.

When to use 柘

柘 is not commonly used in everyday conversation, which can lead to learners feeling unsure about when to use it. It’s more prevalent in literary or botanical contexts. Be cautious with the tone 'zhè' as it is a falling tone; confusing it with other similar-sounding words may lead to misunderstandings.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 柘 with similar-sounding characters like 这 (zhè), which means 'this'. For example, saying '这树' (this tree) instead of '柘树' (cudrania tree) can lead to confusion. Always pay attention to context to ensure proper usage.

Write 柘

柘

Practice writing 柘 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 柘

Words Containing This Character7
柘zhèsugarcane
潭柘寺Tanzhe Temple
柘荣Zherong county in Ningde 寧德|宁德[Níng​dé], Fujian柘榮
柘城县Zhecheng county in Shangqiu 商丘[Shāng​qiū], Henan柘城縣
柘荣县Zherong county in Ningde 寧德|宁德[Níng​dé], Fujian柘榮縣
柘城Zhecheng county in Shangqiu 商丘[Shāng​qiū], Henan
柘树silkworm thorn tree柘樹
Exercise 1 of 4

Compound Meaning

What does 柘 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 柘

柘 refers to the cudrania tree, a thorny plant associated with sugarcane and its fruits.

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