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榴 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
榴liúpomegranaten, 14 strokes, radical 木, rank #42919, Very Hard
liú(liu2)liu T2
  1. 1pomegranate
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March 24, 2026

榴liú(liu2)

榴 (liú) refers to the pomegranate fruit, known for its numerous seeds and vibrant red color. It is often associated with fertility and abundance in Chinese culture, making it a popular symbol in art and festivals. The fruit is commonly used in cooking and traditional medicine.

Strokes14Radical木Frequency#42919DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural note

In Chinese culture, pomegranates symbolize fertility and good fortune, often used in weddings and childbirth celebrations. They are commonly seen in traditional paintings and decorations during the Lunar New Year.

Memory tip

Think of the character 榴 as a tree (木) with a treasure (留) of juicy seeds hidden inside. Imagine a pomegranate tree filled with bright red fruits, each holding a wealth of seeds—a symbol of prosperity.

Meanings of 榴

liú(liu2)
1pomegranate
Exercise 1 of 2

By ear

Play it, then pick what 榴 means.

About 榴

榴Simplified
14Strokes
木Radical
名词míngcínoun (n.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 榴

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Podcast: 榴

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AI Study Notes for 榴

Usage Notes

Learners sometimes confuse 榴 with other fruit-related characters like 水果 (shuǐguǒ) meaning 'fruit' in general. It's important to use 榴 specifically for pomegranates, especially in culinary contexts. The word is more formal and may not be used in casual conversation.

HSK Study Tips

Although 榴 is not an HSK vocabulary word, it connects with other food-related terms at HSK Level 2 and higher. Students should focus on context usage and related words like 石榴 (shíliú), which means pomegranate.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 榴 with similar-sounding words like 留 (liú), which means 'to stay' or 'to leave behind.' Remember, 榴 specifically refers to the fruit, while 留 relates to actions or states.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 榴

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Etymology of 榴

Formation typepictophonetic
六书 ClassificationPhono-semantic (形声字)~80-90% of characters
Explanation

Phonosemantic compound. 木 represents the meaning and 留 represents the sound.

Memory hint

tree

Semantic (meaning)木
+
Phonetic (sound)留
Learn more about Phono-semantic (形声字) characters
Exercise 1 of 1

Origin

榴 = 木 + 留. What kind of character does that make it?

Decomposition of 榴

IDS Structure⿰木留
榴Full character
=
木Mu4
left
留liu2
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Parts

Which of these is part of 榴?

How to say pomegranate in Chinese

“pomegranate” in Chinese is榴liú

榴 (liú) refers to the pomegranate fruit, known for its numerous seeds and vibrant red color. It is often associated with fertility and abundance in Chinese culture, making it a popular symbol in art and festivals. The fruit is commonly used in cooking and traditional medicine.

When to use 榴

Learners sometimes confuse 榴 with other fruit-related characters like 水果 (shuǐguǒ) meaning 'fruit' in general. It's important to use 榴 specifically for pomegranates, especially in culinary contexts. The word is more formal and may not be used in casual conversation.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 榴 with similar-sounding words like 留 (liú), which means 'to stay' or 'to leave behind.' Remember, 榴 specifically refers to the fruit, while 留 relates to actions or states.

Write 榴

榴

Practice writing 榴 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.

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Grammar Patterns of 榴

榴 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). The example sentences below show it in action, with practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) on every line.

Exercise 1 of 3

Fill the gap

Type the missing word. Pinyin works; then pick the character.

我爱吃甜的, 所以,任何用____莲做的食品,都是我的最爱.

I have a sweet tooth, so anything with durian is my favourite.

Example Sentences for 榴 (3)

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1
我爱吃甜的, 所以,任何用榴莲做的食品,都是我的最爱.

wǒ ài chī tián de, suǒyǐ, rènhé yòng liú lián zuò de shípǐn, dōushì wǒ de zuì ài.

I have a sweet tooth, so anything with durian is my favourite.
2
每年夏秋, 石榴 、 柑桔 、 香蕉 、 葡萄挂满枝头.

měi nián xià Qiū, dàn liú、 gān jié、 xiāngjiāo、 pútao guà mǎn zhī tóu.

Annual Xia Qiu, pomegranate, orange, banana, grape hangs full branch.
3
爸爸把榴莲掰开, 里面露出了黄色的果肉.

bàba bǎ liú lián bāi kāi, lǐmiàn lòu chū le huángsè de guǒ ròu.

Durian father to break apart, which showed a yellow flesh.

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Word Family of 榴

Words containing this character11
手榴弹hand grenade手榴彈
石榴pomegranate
榴莲durian fruit榴蓮
榴弹grenade榴彈
榴liúpomegranate
榴弹炮howitzer榴彈炮
石榴石garnet (red gemstone Mg3Al2Si3O12)
榴霰弹shrapnel榴霰彈
番石榴guava (fruit)
枪榴弹rifle grenade槍榴彈
白榴石leucite
Exercise 1 of 4

Words with 榴

What does 手榴弹 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 榴

It is pronounced as 'liú' with a rising tone.

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